stixx777

Dave, the snare on the far right, Ray Pedroza, also performed with us in the '07 KAC.

Rehearsal in Denver 77 Actually Jerry Garcia was one of our drum instructors in '77. We talked him into marching his age-out year in a VK uniform. Jerry was the most influential drum instructor I had through the years. Jerry taught the Kingsmen B-Corps drum line along with Ralph Hardimon when I first started learning to drum as an 11 yr old back in '73. It was an honor being able to march next to him that year.

The B-corps wore silks in '72 and then wore the old cadets in '73 until the corps folded during the '75 season.

This is the earliest drum corps photo of me I've been able to find. This was my first year on snare with the 1974 Kingsmen Cadets when I was 12 yrs old. I'm on the far left in the picture.

LOL! I can vouch for that! The first time I heard Kelley and Tracey laughing together WAS really crazy! Stereo indeed! I love your laugh, Sweetie

And the humidity ...I remember carving grooves in my sticks with a hacksaw to improve the grip and keep my left stick twirls from flying out of my hand due to sweat.

From a 1967 Cavaliers yearbook. Listing all 94 corps the Cavies beat that year.

From the inside cover of the 1971 Velvet Knights yearbook

I'm glad Kelley was able to march in the parade with us. Having to learn two tunes and a cadence and then jumping into a line full of alumni snares, she fit right in with the rest of the guys. Also, after marching in the same snare line with her for a few years, I finally got to march next to my sweetheart.

Thanks Dave. I believe the rifles wore satins in '77 and the rest of the corps was in cadets. In '78, everyone wore cadets.

My guess would be maybe '78 before we got the white drums. Looks like the snare order is with the tall guys on the ends, Devlin on the right end and maybe Chris Mason on the left.

Here is a 1983 photo from a Ludwig drum ad that came out some time after DCI.

I found those photos in an old shoe box. I don't remember that far back, but VK must have gone on earlier than the Ventures because they were the first I have pictures for based on the shadows on the field. I have several from most of the corps, but no VK. Sorry, Garry

Looks like it would be a good time for the line to resurrect Paul's "Mistletoe". One of my all time favorite exercises to play.

Odyssey Classic 1981, Cerritos CA Phantom Regiment BD