rayfallon Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 Each summer as shows are getting ready to start, and tours are getting ready to hit the road, I always find myself missing a couple of people. I'll confine it to three - incredibly influential people as I was learning how to do this thing (on the fly) - there wasn't a place to learn how to become a drum corps brass instructor back then - now folks hit the activity with MMus and DMA degrees. Three folks, specifically guys I miss: Doc Baggs the Dean of East Coast Music Adjudicators Jim Prime SR - maybe not the Dean, but the brightest, most articulate, gentlest, most insightful person in the activity. Pepe Notaro - just the funniest, all around great guy you could ever know, or if you were lucky, work with. I'm assuming y'all have some others you miss as the green flag is about to come down... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elphaba01 Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 Each summer as shows are getting ready to start, and tours are getting ready to hit the road, I always find myself missing a couple of people. I'll confine it to three - incredibly influential people as I was learning how to do this thing (on the fly) - there wasn't a place to learn how to become a drum corps brass instructor back then - now folks hit the activity with MMus and DMA degrees. Three folks, specifically guys I miss: Doc Baggs the Dean of East Coast Music Adjudicators Jim Prime SR - maybe not the Dean, but the brightest, most articulate, gentlest, most insightful person in the activity. Pepe Notaro - just the funniest, all around great guy you could ever know, or if you were lucky, work with. I'm assuming y'all have some others you miss as the green flag is about to come down... "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again": My two GREAT and very much missed horn instructors: Joe Genero Hy Drietzer. RIP Elphaba WWW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Haring Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 Tom McCarthy. Mickey Petrone. Bob Murray. John Laskowski. Dick Pronti. Among others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayfallon Posted June 7, 2013 Author Share Posted June 7, 2013 Tom McCarthy. Mickey Petrone. Bob Murray. John Laskowski. Dick Pronti. Among others. Great group... Lot of unfinished Tom McCarthy/Paul Bunyon stories out there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayfallon Posted June 7, 2013 Author Share Posted June 7, 2013 "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again": My two GREAT and very much missed horn instructors: Joe Genero Hy Drietzer. RIP Elphaba WWW Maybe the two guys most responsible for transporting our activity from Bugle Calls to Broadway... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Windish Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 If I had to nail it down to just three, I'd go with . . . . Mickey Petrone - we had a warm and trusting relationship. We had faith in each other. Maybe 'cause we were both public school teachers! John Laskowski - somewhat misunderstood, John was a hardworking, highly capable promoter of all things drum corps. He had class under pressure, a big heart, and was ALWAYS honest and upfront with me. The man really knew what he was talking about. Don Whiteley - From the DCI side, Don was WAY ahead of his time, a real talent when a youthful DCI needed one most. To this day, there has been no one working in DCI with the same worldwide connections and influence Don brought to this activity. Great topic, Ray. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish66 Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 1... I miss Jumpin' Joe Genero........an all-time treasure of the activity as well as Hurricane royalty...:worthy:/> 2... More than 1 person, but I miss the boys from the concrete canyons of New York City....The Skyliners! 3...Again not a person, but I miss The Dream.... the atmosphere, excitement and prestige simply can't be duplicated. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayfallon Posted June 7, 2013 Author Share Posted June 7, 2013 1... I miss Jumpin' Joe Genero........an all-time treasure of the activity as well as Hurricane royalty...:worthy:/>/> 2... More than 1 person, but I miss the boys from the concrete canyons of New York City....The Skyliners! 3...Again not a person, but I miss The Dream.... the atmosphere, excitement and prestige simply can't be duplicated. Agree with every word. Not every Skyliner :) but every word. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayfallon Posted June 7, 2013 Author Share Posted June 7, 2013 If I had to nail it down to just three, I'd go with . . . . Mickey Petrone - we had a warm and trusting relationship. We had faith in each other. Maybe 'cause we were both public school teachers! John Laskowski - somewhat misunderstood, John was a hardworking, highly capable promoter of all things drum corps. He had class under pressure, a big heart, and was ALWAYS honest and upfront with me. The man really knew what he was talking about. Don Whiteley - From the DCI side, Don was WAY ahead of his time, a real talent when a youthful DCI needed one most. To this day, there has been no one working in DCI with the same worldwide connections and influence Don brought to this activity. Great topic, Ray. Thanks! I miss Mickey because he was ###### off at me when he passed away and I never got to straighten it out - we (Archie's Chorus) did a throw-away song that goofed on DCA and Mick took it very personally. Always got along with him well prior to that. I'd take back that song for the laughs we got out of it if it could have done away with Mickey being angry. You never get to take anything back, and never assume that something that a lot of people think is funny won't hurt someone's feelings - lesson learned too late in this case. Totally agree with you about John - straight shooter, and barely knew Don. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Haring Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 Great group... Lot of unfinished Tom McCarthy/Paul Bunyon stories out there... Reminded me of a few other Sunrisers gone way too soon, all of whom I miss, especially the first name I'll list: Dennis Plante Tony Cataneo George Smith Three big reasons for the success of that corps in the 1970s-80s. And regarding Tom McCarthy... a great man, an incredible brass player, and an even better teacher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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