Vickie Kingsmen

That is the Los Caballeros Youth Band from Gardena/Carson CA. The first instructors that came to them were Jim Whobrey, Chris Naughton and Mark Vallerio. I was in the guard when Mark started teaching us. Jim & Chris told my sister and I we should come join the Kingsmen. We did and that started my drum corps career! I think there were others, from the Kingsmen, that came later to teach and I actually went back and taught them after tour and even marched rifle in their 76 winter guard before going on to win my first DCI!

Actually, that's Jim Brokke, not Float.

We're looking forward to it!!! This is my fourth year in a row. Last year my 12 year old daughter marched next to me in the guard. What a blast!!!

I have fond memories of the Orange Show from my pre-Drum Corps aka youth band days, as well as from my first 2 years in drum corps - 1974 being my first performance there!

We miss kc out here in Colorado...

I haven't seen Signature yet. From what I hear, since Opus 10 is back, the members that marched with Signature last year went back to Opus... I've seen Phoenix and they have a good show this year and tripled their membership! They did a great performance at the evaluation show 2 weeks ago, but not as well last weekend. I wish them the best!

I loved that quote too! For someone who ventured there with drum corps, back in the 70's... Back then, the food didn't seem that bad compared to what we ate on tour. It was a hot meal and the sopapillas were great. Having been there since I moved here, the food reminds me of Taco Bell... but, the sopapillas are still good. It is a trippy place to go to and I have fond memories of running wild through the caves, watching the cliff divers and the gorilla! Fun place...

I finally scanned in this picture from my favorite guard that I ever taught! I keep hoping to find a video of this show that someone has hiding somewhere! Blue Devils B Winter Guard 1979: So many of these young ladies went on to BDA and then taught (some of them are still teaching!)!!!

I was thinking the same thing! Especially next to the cymbal player!!!

Colorado is making another appearance!

Man, those flag poles look like they're 8' tall! Or are the girls just really short? I remember marching with 7' poles!

I'm with you on that one Charlie. Order Arms means to bring the flag/rifle down to the ground from what I was taught.

I think that I'm the 3rd flag from the right (looking at how tall and skinny I was back then...)

It's funny that Jerry didn't like BD at the time. We always laugh about the fact that we marched together in AK in 74 and I marched with his wife in 75-77. He jokes about the fact that I sat on the brides side at their wedding... Jerry is, and has always been a great guy!

Having marched in the Kingsmen in 74, it was really sad to see them when they were struggling back. 74 was my first summer in drum corps and placing 3rd at DCI wasn't too shabby (of course 3rd is the lowest the corps I was in placed while I was marching). I know it was a let down for people that had been around in 72, but we worked hard with what we had and fielded a pretty good corps. It was hard, when the Kingsmen fielded a corps again in 76, to see them not even make finals. They tried to carry on a lot of the old traditions, but it just wasn't working. Unfortunately, the 'little Italian guy' really screwed the kids (in more than one way) and they didn't really have a chance. Albeit, they had an awesome drum line... but the rest of the corps... In 77, lining up next to them to go out for retreat in Pontiac, it really hit me how sad it was was and I wondered, why didn't they just stay folded and not try for a come back. Yeah, the kids worked hard and people talk about how good they were in later years, but did they ever make finals at DCI again?? After all, they were the first DCI champions. They should have let them die as top contenders... Just my humble opinion... I know I'll get crap from some people, but that's how I feel...