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People who have influenced you?


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This, being the anniversary of the passing of one the great legends, I'll go with Cos, James J. Costello, Jr.!

Shout out to Louie Storck too, to name a few

What Kay said!

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Vince Bruni - THE man - goes without saying... few if any short of his kids knew him as he let me know him...

Corky Fabrizio and Fred Gebhardt... drum corps genius personified

Mickey Petrone - always trusted me... especially in judging

Charlie Ragonese - Brigadier corps director who put the passion in drum corps

Eddie Mizma - the other half of the early Crusader team... Doc was simply TOO nice to believe...

Gabe Fabrizio - who passed on a few weeks ago and not only was with me in Fulton Gauchos, Syracuse Brigadiers and Rochester Crusaders - he introduced me to my wife...

Mose LeRoy... my first drum major who also had the honor of being the first person I ever watched die... as he keeled over dead still in uniform immediately following a parade...

Honorable mention to my brothers and parents... got to march with both brothers and my parents ALWAYS supported drum corps... and of course my wife and kids... Next week is 44 years of marriage - to the same woman even!

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Bill McGrath Sr and Vince Bruni

I will echo Mike's sentiments. Bill Sr. was show coordinator/drill instructor when I was with the Hamburg Kingsmen. He had a unique way of inspiring people to work harder and do more and he was able to bring out the very best in our corps the one year that he worked with us (1973).

Vince was truly unique. He had the same qualities as Bill Sr. but to an even greater degree. People simply wanted to follow his lead and he took them places that they never dreamed they could go. He was the type of guy you just could not say no to when he asked you to do something. I first met him on a Drum Corps Hall of Fame cruise and later worked with him when I was Business Manager of the Royal Lancers drum corps.

I will add some additional names: - Ed Cozzolino. Coz instructed brass for the Interstate Ambassadors and the Hamburg Kingsmen when I marched with those corps as a young man. He helped me grow as a player and he was sure fun to hang out with. He also tried to keep me from being so serious:))

Steve Cooley - a true gentleman in every sense of the word - I have known him and played under his instruction from 1974 (Hamburg Kingsmen) until 2012 (Hamburg Kingsmen Reunion Corps).

Tom "Bucky" Swan. I played with the NY Skyliners in 2000. John Areitano was our arranger - Ken Mac Lean was in charge of cleaning the line - and Bucky was in charge of getting us to play like Skyliners. At the end of the season, the night before DCA, Bucky came over to me, shook my hand and congratulated me on my work ethic for the season. He told me that I had worked my a$% off and was a true Skyliner. That meant a LOT to me, Tom.

Finally, Jeff Gibbens. I marched Mellophone in the 2002 Erie Thunderbirds Alumni DCA Champion Mini-Corp. Jeff made me believe that I was a champion and that we WOULD win. Combined with what I learned about performing from being a Skyliner in 2000, I rode Jeff's broad shoulders to a championship in 2002. Thanks to Jeff and all the other members of that corps - it was a magic moment.

Edited by Roger Ellis
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"Persons of Influence":

ALL of the instructors of both "Neighborhood" junior corps I was fortunate enough to march in. Mr's Joe Genero & Hy Drietzer, and the "Drill Team" of 'Condon & Wood's' stand out, but I owe a HUGE debt of gratitude to the directors of both units, the quartermasters & chaperones as well as the volenteer parents who supported us through "Thick & Thin".

Thanks a million.....

Elphaba

WWW

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Took this from the DCI page...

Who are some people in drum corps who personally influenced you or made a large impact on your life?

The Bernert Family - J.B., Mrs. B, & Rip

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"Bud" Johnson, DM: LaVern Rohrbach, CG Captain: & Bruce Young, Trumpet (1965)

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OK I will bite, but the list is long. It seems we play this game every couple of years.

My brother Jim Allen, Vince Bruni, Bill McGrath Sr.and Bill McGrath Jr., Bob Sullivan, Larry Seeley, Ed Cozzolino, Bill O'Connell, Corky Fabrizio, Phil Cerimeli, Brady Rouse, Bruce McCready, Dave Martin, Hy Dreitzer, Joe Genaro, Mike Duffy, Ken Norman, Larry Kerchner, Roman Blenski, Steve Cooley, Wayne Downey, John Grass, Pepe Notaro.

Some of these guys taught me the skills needed to be successful in this activity and also in life. Others taught me how to perform as a drum corps soloist. The others were instructors or arrangers that I wanted to be like. They have all influenced me in some way.

There are more that I am forgetting right now, but these are mostly Hall of Famers in some regard.

Donny

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First and foremost my dad Jim Sr. (RIP) taught me my first rudiment at age 6. Taught practically every drum line in CT in the 60's, 70's and 80's. Also taught many a good other drummers. Marched in the Hurcs in the 60's where they won a number of drum trophies.

He was a winner every where he went.

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OK I will bite, but the list is long. It seems we play this game every couple of years.

My brother Jim Allen, Vince Bruni, Bill McGrath Sr.and Bill McGrath Jr., Bob Sullivan, Larry Seeley, Ed Cozzolino, Bill O'Connell, Corky Fabrizio, Phil Cerimeli, Brady Rouse, Bruce McCready, Dave Martin, Hy Dreitzer, Joe Genaro, Mike Duffy, Ken Norman, Larry Kerchner, Roman Blenski, Steve Cooley, Wayne Downey, John Grass, Pepe Notaro.

Some of these guys taught me the skills needed to be successful in this activity and also in life. Others taught me how to perform as a drum corps soloist. The others were instructors or arrangers that I wanted to be like. They have all influenced me in some way.

There are more that I am forgetting right now, but these are mostly Hall of Famers in some regard.

Donny

Hi Donny. Your list and mine have many names in common - that speaks volumes for these gentlemen, especially coming from you (not me):))

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