World Drum Corps Hall Of Fame Member Dick Burns Passes
Dick Burns, a World Drum Corps Hall of Fame member inducted in 2003, passed away November 19 in Palm Coast, Florida after suffering a heart attack. A celebration of his life will be presented following the holiday season.
His drum and bugle corps activity began in the early 1950s. He was a lead soprano and soloist with the Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights from 1953 until 1963, and with Ballantine Brewers in 1964 and 1965.
He began arranging and instructing in 1962, and over the following 11 years taught six junior and two senior corps, including such well-known units as Golden Knights, Garfield Cadets, Stardusters of New Orleans, the Brewers and Stratford Connecticut Yankees. He began serving as the Golden Knights Alumni musical director in 1991.
He was one of the top three finishers in Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) solo soprano contests four years in a row; won 80 per cent of the individual contests he entered from 1959 to 1963 and won 70 per cent of the brass quartet contests he participated in during the same period.
He also served as brass judge with All American Judges Association, All States Judges Association and the American Legion Congress from 1965 to 1974. He graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelor’s degree in music.
The World Drum Corps Hall of Fame is a non-profit organization honoring those individuals who have contributed significantly over many years to the development and continuing excellence of drum and bugle corps activity.
