Its all about the fans

[Jeff Zehner]

This is truly awful news – Glen, I’m very sorry for your loss.

[FPonzo]

Glen,

At one time in my life, performing in Drum Corps was all about the scores and self satisfaction. But as I grew in life, I realized that there was more of a reason I was put in Drum Corps.....and that was to ENTERTAIN the audience.....for YOUR brother and people just like your brother.

I am honored I was able to do that for him, and I am truly saddened by your loss.

My deepest sympathies go out to you and your entire family.

Stay strong.....

[NYSkyliner]

This is a rare speech from Glen Johnson, so indulge me for a minute please!

I think too often we get all torqued up over this drum corps bubble we live inside of. We tend to lose sight of the fact that this is really just a hobby, and we're really here to entertain other people, and have fun doing it. Really, I'm writing this in honor of my brother, and I don't want people to forget about people like him. There are many more of him than there are of us.

My brother Grant died suddenly yesterday afternoon. He was my big brother and my only sibling. He got me in to this hobby. He took me to my first drum corps show ever, which was the 1972 Dream Contest in Jersey City, NJ. Don't ask me for any details, I was 11 :) Very few people here on DCP knew him. But he was a drum corps FAN for 40 years. Just a fan. He didn't know Hy Dreitzer from a can of paint. He wouldn't know Gail Royer or Jim Costello or any other person we consider to be legendary in this realm if he tripped over them. He was a ticket buying fan. Period. He went to DCA shows and DCI shows. Drum corps was his primary form of entertainment. He's the guy that would be sitting on a seat cushion with a thermos of coffee at the crack of dawn for DCI prelims years ago, and sit through the entire thing. He'd sit through small circuit contests with corps scoring in the 30s. He used to plan his family vacation around where DCI was being held that year and drive to it. He may have missed the Caballeros' Grand Prix maybe 3 or 4 times over four decades. He spent many many thousands of dollars over the years on tickets, t-shirts, bumper stickers, buttons, all kinds of stuff. He needs to have his picture in the dictionary next to "drum corps fan" . He would strike up conversations with complete strangers at shows, usually to ask where they got their t-shirt. He had t-shirts of dozens of different corps - junior, senior and alumni.

I could go on for pages but I won't. All I want to say is, without people like my brother, we don't exist. When you design your show, don't lose the people in the stands. When you perform, don't mail it in - there are lots of people in the stands that think you're just the greatest thing and they don't want to be disappointed. In DCA, we don't have the luxury of packing the stands with Moms and Dads who are there to see little Johnny play no matter what, like the band shows. We have people there who would rather sit there in the rain or the blazing heat and watch you perform than go to the movies. Its all about THEM. There are more Grant Johnsons sitting in those bleachers than you could imagine. Now there's one less. And if you remember why we're HERE, there'll be many more to fill his seat for years to come.

Glen

From my heart to yours. My deepest, sincerest condolences.

[Donny Drum Corps]

Glen,

I am so sorry for your loss. He inspired you to post this poignant thread and remind us that sometimes we can lose track of fans like your brother. I knew others like him, I just hope there are more coming along.

You are correct, without people like Grant, it won't matter what the score is. God rest his soul. Now he can meet those guys you mentioned first hand...Pepe, Hy, Mickey, Vince, Jim C., Lefty, Wink, Gus...et al.

Thanks for sharing that story. Very moving.

Donny

[JimF-LowBari]

Well said and sorry for your loss.

s/ Guy who scored in the 30s/40s/50s for a while.

[Shenandoah Vibrato]

God Bless your brother! He's up there whistling a corps tune

[Glen]

Thank you everyone for your kind thoughts. He was particularly fond of Madison's arrangement of You'll Never Walk Alone, so we are having a piper play it at his burial on Monday.

[melligene]

Glen.......I am truly sorry for your loss. Many here have expressed their feelings better than I could ever hope to. Not having known him.....remember always that.....he was the MOST important part of our activity.

[Ray Priester]

Thank you everyone for your kind thoughts. He was particularly fond of Madison's arrangement of You'll Never Walk Alone, so we are having a piper play it at his burial on Monday.

Glen,

I was very moved by your post. Sometimes we lose track of the reasons why we do what we do. I join my many thousands of drum corps brothers and sisters in thanking Grant for being there for us all, win or lose. May we never lose sight of our fans and the reasons they have to put themselves in those seats.

My sincere condolences to you and your family on the loss of your brother and, probably, one of YOUR biggest fans.

May he rest in peace.

Ray

[bill]

Thank you for sharing.

Glen, sincere thoughts and prayers to you and your family at the passing of Grant.