During his 36 years as director, the Michigan Marching Band won international acclaim for its musical precision.

Revelli is also credited with innovations that moved college marching bands across the country away from rigid military formations.

Revelli retired in 1972 and was director emeritus until his death in 1994,[1] Under his direction, the Michigan Marching Band was acclaimed for its musical precision, intricate formations and high-stepping style.

One former band member recalled that the "sequence of our attitudes toward him often went from fear to anger to respect to awe to reverence.

"[11] It has been said that, if asked, "nearly every student who played under Revelli could vividly recount some memory of him; he left a lasting impression on everyone with whom he crossed paths.

"[12] Interviewed in 1970, Revelli said: "I've been called the Vince Lombardi of Ann Arbor because I just won't compromise.

... You don't piddle with music—it's a good-time-Charlie business, and for me, the wonderful good times come out of hearing somebody play beautifully.

The tradition began with a dance routine to the tune Alexander's Ragtime Band which proved to be a big hit with the crowd.

In a show of appreciation, Revelli had the band line up in a "Buck – I" formation at the 1938 Ohio State game.

The next morning, athletic director Fielding H. Yost reportedly called Revelli at his home at 2:00 a.m. and said: "Young man, never do that again!"

He regularly toured the Midwest offering band clinics in small towns and big cities.

Aside from directing the large ensembles, Revelli promoted chamber music as well as the importance of private instruction on each student's wind instrument at the University.

Starting in 1942, Revelli offered the "Small Wood-wind ensemble", as a way to encourage wind chamber music.

The vision of professor Revelli helped bring in teachers for every wind instrument and paved the way for the University of Michigan to become one of the premiere music institutions in the United States.

The large upstairs room with its plaster walls and wooden floor provided the perfect acoustical setting for a band rehearsal.

Revelli later said the "Michigan Band sound" was in part due to the perfect acoustics of Harris Hall and Hill Auditorium.

In 1961, Revelli and the U-M Symphony Band, under sponsorship of the U.S. State Department, toured the Soviet Union, Romania, Egypt, Greece, and five other Near East countries for 15 weeks.

"[20] Revelli rose to the podium, tapped his baton, looked right into their eyes and said, "John Philip Sousa called this the greatest fight song ever written.

"[19] Schembechler thought so much of Revelli's performance that he invited him back every year to teach the freshmen what Michigan tradition was about.

[2] For the United States 200th Birthday, Congress created the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration (ARBA) who tasked the MENC (Music Educators National Convention) with creating a National Band made up of high school students for several concerts during the Bicentennial celebrations.

In 1975, the MENC set up the Bicentennial Commission and started planning the National High School Honors Band.1 With the help of the MEJ (Music Educators Journal), high school band directors were asked to send in applications for only their best musicians who were at or near a professional level of skill to be considered for an audition.

When the best current American conductor was discussed to direct the nations best high school musicians only one name was acceptable, William Revelli.

Revelli was asked to conduct and accepted with amendments to the MENC plans for choosing students, among other caveats.

His requirement for excellence were uncompromising for this most important event, the final performance of which would take place at the Kennedy Center.

The music was chosen from great American composers, including Stars and Stripes Forever by John Philip Sousa, Trittico by Vaclav Nelhybel, as well as The Star-Spangled Banner.

George Roberts, " Mr. Bass Trombone" , accompanied the National High School Honors Band as a soloist in Somewhere as it was nearly impossible for professional musicians.

The events were considered a great success due to the perfection demanded from William Revelli of the country's finest high school musicians and a fitting tribute to the nation.

High School students from various states attended for a short time and then toured through various countries in Europe.

These honors include: Revelli died of heart failure on July 16, 1994, at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor at age 92.