This year’s sole Hall of Fame inductee is an industry leader that has twice before been awarded Eagle Awards, in 2018 and 2021. In its 23rd year of operation, Small’s Mortuary and Cremation Services has more than 50 employees and operates four full-service funeral homes in Mobile, Daphne and Mt. Vernon, as well as its latest venture, Gulf Coast Cremation and Funerals by Small’s.Owned and operated by longtime Mobile City Councilman C.J. Small, the company stands as a testament to his goals of being a role model for African-Americans in south Alabama and beyond.

The current iteration of one of the Gulf Coast’s most iconic bands got its start in the late 1990s, but its roots connect to the 1880s. The Excelsior Band is believed to be the oldest continuous marching jazz band in the United States, and stands as a living monument to the healing power of music.