NATCHEZ — Faydra Logan and Jasmine Winding have shared a lot of experiences together.

It only makes sense that they would also share Natchez High School’s Quincy Jones Musicianship Award for outstanding achievement in musicianship.

The 18-year-old girls have known each other for a long time.

“Since preschool,” Winding said. “Literally.”

Neither of the two have any siblings.

“That’s probably why we’re so close,” Winding said. “You could say we’re sisters.”

During their time in school, the two were involved in various activities around the community, but they found their true love, band, in the fifth grade.

Logan began playing clarinet while Winding played piccolo.

When they reached high school, the girls became section leaders in the NHS band. It’s a role that Matthew Thornton, assistant band director at NHS and head band director at Morgantown Elementary School, said they excelled at.

“Both of them push the students and they help us, which makes our job a lot easier,” Thornton said.

Logan and Wilson loved band. When it came to their favorite memory of the class, it was unanimous.

“Going to New Orleans,” Winding and Logan said together.

The band marched in the Iris parade during Mardi Gras celebrations. It was a fun time for the girls, despite the heat.

“We had to march 10 miles,” Winding said.

At the end of the year banquet, neither girl knew who was going to get the Quincy Jones Musicianship Award.

It came as a pleasant surprise when NHS Band Director Marcus Washington announced that both girls had won the award.

“I feel blessed,” Logan said.

Now the plaque bears both of their names, paying tribute to the girls’ dedication.

Logan and Winding are now gearing up to go to college.

Logan always wanted to attend Alcorn State University. ASU even offered her a full music scholarship to sweeten the deal.

“I plan on being focused on school and studying harder than I did in high school,” Logan said.

Winding considered colleges like Mississippi College and Jackson State University, who offered her scholarships for voice talent.

But the full music scholarship ASU offered made the decision for Winding. Now, she and her friend will both attend ASU in August.

They’ll even be in the band together, getting up at 4 a.m. to start practice.

“Band is going to be life basically in college,” Winding said. “That’s what we’re going to be doing.”

But, just like in high school, Winding is fine with that. She said Logan and she always loved band class the most.

“We never wanted to leave class,” Winding said.

Winding said their teachers had to force them out of the band room sometimes. Now that they’ve graduated, that responsibility is in the hands of ASU’s music faculty.

Logan is the daughter of Faye Logan and Donald Ray Bass.

Winding is the daughter of Debra Smith and the granddaughter of Hattie Harris. Her godparents are Barbara Bruce and Perry Bruce Sr.