Mergers!

[Ray Priester]

Late '65 saw the Staten Island Thunderbirds and the 122Pct PAL Lawmen merge to form the Statenaires for '66. Short term success, unfortunately.

[Fran Haring]

I'm guessing the Crossmen have been the most successful merger anywhere, long-term.

[Fran Haring]

Another failed merger:

1975-76: My junior corps' horn line and intonation.

[lindap]

Thank goodness the old soundmachine archive is still around. Back in 2004 I posted on this topic, and I this is what I had at that time:

DCI Era

1972

Barons Metropolitains=Excelsior + Vicomptes

Mid-American Patriots + Emerald Knights (MO)

P.A.L. Stardusters=Wayne Cadets + Stardusters

Chordaliers + Our Lady Of Mercy

Dukes Of Imperial Guardsmen=Old Bridge Dukes + Imperial Guardsmen

Chancellors=Surfmen + Jackson Countyliners

Sentinels (WA)=Sentinels+Guardsmen

1973

Lionaires=Marching Diplomats + Lionettes

Blue Knights (CO) + Tabor Guard

Iron Brigade=Marauders + Lancers

Vaqueros (CA) + Diplomats

New Day=Ambassa-Dears + Citations

The Thing=Thunderbolts + St. Patrick's Imperials

Dynamic Royalaires=Dynamics + Royalaires

Riversiders + Carter Cadets

Princemen Renegades=Princemen + Renegades

Dickenson's Imperial Crusaders=Imperial Cadets + Oregon Crusaders

Brassmen + Shoreliners (CT)

Emerald Cadets + Trumbull Cadets

Hyde Park Vagabonds + Bridge City Cadets

1974

Regiment Militaire=Bleu Raeders + Stardusters

Royal Commodores=Commodores + Royalaires

Beverly Crusaders + Wilmington Crusaders

Chordalier Rebels=Chordaliers + Rebels

Bucks County Cavaliers=Earls + Bracken Cavaliers

Cadet Lancers=Etobicoke Lancers + Optimist Cadets

Velvet Knights + Vaqueros

Police Youth Lawmen=Page Park Cadets + Memorial Lancers

Midstatesmen + Toledo Demons

1975

Blue Angel/Reveries=Blue Angels + I.C. Reveries

American Patrol + Tri Town Cadets

Blue Knights=St. Paul 'B' Scouts + St. Francis De Salles

Oakland Crusaders=Etobicoke Crusaders + De La Salle Oaklands

Melrose Cardinals=Legion Vanguard + Wilmington Cardinals

Avant Garde=Speigleaires + Emerald Knights

Marksmen (WA)=Sentinels + Shamrocks

Yankee Marauders=Magnificent Yankees + Syracuse Marauders

Crossmen=Keystone Regiment + 507 Hornets

Guardsmen (NY) + Envoys

Statesmen (IL)=Capitol Chargers + Falcons

Sabre Cadets=Sharpsburg Cadets + Blue Sabres

3rd Regimen=Hawks + Royal Lancers

Imperial Regiment=Lakeview Shoreliners + 71st Lancers

Empire Statesmen=Troy Muchachos + Trinity Cadets

Marksmen (MA)=Dukes + Sharpshooters

Royal Chevaliers=Chevaliers + Royals

CT Crusaders + Hartford P.A.L.

Pittsburgh Rockets + Vigilantes (N. Versailles, PA)

1976

North Star=Blue Angel/Reveries + Cardinals

Seneca Optimists=Toronto Optimists + Seneca Princemen

Emerald Buccaneers=Emerald Cadets + Golden Buccaneers

Buckeye State Caballaros=Buckeyes + Cleveland Caballaros

1st Canadian Regiment=Strutters + Klondike

4th Brigade + Vanek

Chocolatiers + White Roses

Grenadier/Yardmen=Kingston Grenadiers + Yardmen

Debonnaires + Debonnettes

Arbella=K of C Comets + K of C Rockettes

Challengers + Eldoradans

St. Kevin’s Sr. + Majestic Knights Sr.

1977

Capitolaires + Petites

Frontiersmen (NY)=Red Raiders+Blue Sabres+ Royal Coachmen

Troubador/Guardsmen=Troubadors + Flint Guardsmen (called Royal Marque in 1976)

Compagnons + La Salle Cadets

Crimson Buccaneers=Polish Falcons + Ridgemen

Northstars=Dutch Boy Cadets + Flying Dutchmen

Black Diamond Regimen=Belvederes + Highlanders

Royal Brigade=Meadowlarks + Townsmen

King's Regiment=Monarchs + Lakers

Maine Brigade=5th Maine Regiment + Pine Tree Warriors

Imperial Dragons + 3rd Generation

Renaissance=Dukes + Marksmen

Crusading Militiamen=Crusaders + Militiamen

Krescendos + Lindsay Kavaliers (didn’t last)

Etobicoke Knights=Oakland Crusaders (parade) + Etobicoke Lancers (p)

Marinieres/Mariniers=Marinieres + Mariniers

Zephyrs=Zephyrs +Central Airs

Westmoreland Esquires + Midnighters

1978

Seneca Optimists + Krescendos

Troubador/Guardsmen + Royal Marque

Matadors (CA)=Royal Blues + Monterey Park

Bluewater Bridgemen + Townsmen

Spectra=Sancians + Imperials + 21st Lancers + Golden Rays

Empire State Express=Mark Twain Cadets + Grenadiers

Oakenshield=Bon Bons + Royaleer Mounties + Rough Riders + Challenger

Thunderbolts + Windjammers

Hudson Valley Indians=Kingston Indians + Continental Cadets + Pacers

Guardsmen (MA)=Crusading Militiamen + Southern Cross

Alliance=Brigade + Hirondelles

Royal Alliance=St. Peter's Royalaires + Sundowners

76’ers + Grey Ghosts

New Horizons=White Sabers + Phantom Revival

Phase II=Hamburg Kingsmen + Dunkirk Patriots

1979

Cavalliers=1st Corps Cadets + Annunciators

Fantasia III=Imperial Knights + Dynamic Royalaires + Valley Grenadiers

Charisma=Jeanettes + Socialites

Firemen Vaqueros=Vaqueros + Firemen

Royal Marquis=Malden Ambassadors + Heightsmen

Sounds Of Central New York + Marauders + 76'ers

Seneca Optimists + Lions Of London

Oakland Crusaders + Cardinals

St. John's + Belles of St. John's

Spirit of St. Louis Jr.=Spirit of St. Louis + Lawmen

Northstar/Royalaires=Canadian Northstars + Guelph Royalaires

1980

Defending Knights=Defenders Jr + Scarlet Knights

Aurora=5th Maine Regiment + Northern Lites

Alliance=Spectra + Heightsmen

Velvet Knights + West Coast Express (didn’t last)

1981

Boston Crusaders + Guardsmen

Southernaires=Bleu Raeders + Stardusters

The Corps=Pine Tree Warriors + 5th Maine Regiment + Northern Lites

1982

Royal Alliance=Sundowners + St. Peter’s Royalaires

Fusion=Greece Cadets + Patriots

Renegades=Blazers + Mighty Liberators

Sundowners (WI) + Sundowner Cadets

Eastern Excelsior=L.I. Squires + St. James Saints

1983

Heightsmen + Queensmen

Jersey Brass=Cranford Patriots + Fantasia III

Connection=Mounties + Commanders

New York Express=Mello-Dears + Empire State Express (1 show only)

Long Island Grenadiers=Eastern Excelsior + St. John's Crusaders +

Medford Grenadiers

Cadets Of Upstate New York=Greece Cadets + Gauchos

Firebirds (NY) + Black Knights (marched under both names for year)

Chatelaines/Chatlains=Chatelaines + Baladins

1984

Intensity=Mello-Dears + Empire State Express

Northmen=Greece Cadets + Firebirds

Senateur Dynamiques=Senateurs + Dynamiques

Northern Aurora=Saginaires + Royalaires

Odyssee Sr. + Etoiles Granby

1985

Marquis (WI) + Royal Knights

Mello-Dears + Barons + Empire State Express

1st Canadian Cavaliers=1st Canadian Regiment + Calgary Cavaliers

Boston Crusaders + Valley Airs

Constellation=Abenakis + Renaissance

Picador Toreadors=Picadors + Toreadors

Pacificaires + Brassmen

1986

Out Of The Blue=Oakland Crusaders + Ambassadors

Avant Garde + Northmen (didn’t last)

1990

Northwind Rebels=Northwind + Rebels

Spartans (WA)+Spartan Cadets

1991

Nightbeat + Free Delivery + Long Island Sound Sr (Nightbeat later pulled out)

Sunrisers + Nightbeat (didn’t last)

Southern Knights Sr. + Pride of Virginia

Knights + Emerald Knights

1995

Capital Sound=Capitolaires + Madison Jr. Scouts

Southern Illusion=Southern Knights + Illusion

Kiwanis Kavaliers + Ventures

Etoiles + Insolite

Spirit of St. Louis/Phaze=Spirit of St. Louis + Phaze

1996

Northshore=Cardinals + Oakland Crusaders

Southern Sound=Emanon + Gulf Coast Sound

1997

Knight Storm=Royal Columbians + Royal Columbian Cadets

2000

H.Y.P.E.=Ridge Raiders + Conqueror II

Kips Bay Crusaders=Latin Knights + Kips Bay Knight Club

Chevaliers (QUE) + Ambassadeurs Rimouski

Cadets of New York City=Knight Club + Cadets of Brooklyn

2001

Glory Cadets=Cincinnati Glory + Marion Cadets

2002

Kiwanis Kavaliers + Tampa Bay Thunder

Alliance=Senateurs + Sentinelles

2004

Fusion=Strutters + Allegiance Elite

Thank you Brian for all that you do. History is important! There are many corps names on this list since I aged out in 1976. I started to reminisce about drum corps in 2006. The last entry 2004 Fusion=Strutters + Allegiance Elite is Edmonton and Calgary. I wonder how they managed the history, ideology and travel with a 3 hour drive apart?

Keith Hall likes threads about mergers gone bad on DCP. It seems to me a recurring thread. Keith, as an aside, I like the song 'Let it go'. 'Snow never bothered me anyway'. How about a positive approach with an intent to combine resources for a stronger good? What happened to feeder corps that aspired to march, the young that wanted to belong to the fun?

In 1978 AAG combined their A corps and B corps to become one corps. Their arrangers were Mike Duffy and Allan Kristensen. The history books said we folded in 1977 but we kept going for 2 more years. We were there, we toured, we didn't compete but sat in the stands during DCI finals 1978 and 1979 as a drum corps, also known as a drum and bugle band. I'm not posting to challenge history. I'm here because I care about the activity, then and now.

[JimF-LowBari]

I second the thanks Linda, going thru old scores and write ups and hardest thing I've found is wrong name being used for merged or renamed corps. Trying to make sure I use the correct name for the year but..... and your last paragraph describes the mess perfectly.

300 miles might be a record. On the Sr side Jolly Jesters (Toronto) and Viscounts (Hamilton) merged to form Canadian Commanders. No idea the distance between the two cities but must be a Canadian thing about long distance mergers.

My old Sr corps had merged 1959 to form Westshoremen-Bonnie Scots. Neither corps had enough members to compete so merged after a local parade. 1972 the corps went inactive but 1974 merged with a group of former members that started a new corps that never got out of the practice room (Keystone Kavaliers). Funny thing is I think after two seasons there were only 3-4 Kavaliers left in Westshoremen (Bonnie Scots part dropped).

Edited December 23, 2015 by JimF-LowBari

[ajlisko]

I like the word "absorbed" that someone used rather than "merger" for most corps that "got together" in the 60's and 70's ... that's what particularly happened in the greater Bridgeport area as smaller corps folded and members joined other corps that were continuing ... the corollary was also true ... many corps "split" into two corps due to parent/admin/sponsor conflicts ... most famous in my area was when the St. Ann's Parish corps spawned the CT Royal Lancers in 1962 ... St. Ann's was renamed The Loyalaires to honor those who stayed ... they competed against each other until they both folded in 1966 ... then their members went to St. Raphael's, Bpt PAL, Milford Shoreliners and the Hurcs ... lots of "recruiting" parties going on in 1967 in Bridgeport!

:-)

Edited December 23, 2015 by ajlisko

[Northern Thunder]

The last entry 2004 Fusion=Strutters + Allegiance Elite is Edmonton and Calgary. I wonder how they managed the history, ideology and travel with a 3 hour drive apart?

According to a November, 2003 posting on soundmachine by someone involved with the corps (screen name "Canadacorps"), this is the story:

"I just want everyone to know that Allegiance Elite in Calgary, Alberta, and the Edmonton Strutters, of Edmonton Alberta, are going to be merging this year and its going to be an exciting season for them. Together, both groups are stronger than ever and were sounding great at their first camp together last weekend in Calgary. They're going to be a Strong Corps this year. The membership between the two groups was already at 70 members by the November camp, and they hope to be div 2 this year with about 100-120 members. This is a possibly acheivable goal too, by the looks of things. If not, they will be maxed in DIV III. They are going to be taking on a new name this year as well for performance at DCI, although a new name has not been decided yet."

Then, in April, 2004:

"The two corps will be fielding together for the 2004 season, under the name Fusion Drum and Bugle Corps. We have a full division three corps so far, and we are looking to be a very competitive unit. Our repertoire is "The Essence of Spirit" and includes arrangements of music by Stephen Melillo. The Tunes are as follows: Opener : Godspeed ; Balad: The Touchstone ; Third Piece: The Chosen ; Closer: The Wait of the World.

This is looking to be a very exciting season for the two corps, and there are still a few spots to be filled. We have three spots on the baritone line and one on the soprano section."

A few days later:

"The plan is to march just for 2004, and then to become separate entities again, bigger and better than before the merge. As for the two remaining "Fused" as I will put it for now, I have no idea, being only a member of the combined unit myself. What I do know, however, is that from the looks of it, we're going to be a great group this year.

P.S. This "merger" Idea isn't a new thing. The two groups have come together before.. In 1984, the First Canadian Regiment (now the Edmonton Strutters) and the Calgary Cavaliers (now Allegiance Elite) merged for that season to become the First Canadian Cavaliers.. And both corps ended up returning to the field stronger than before the merger. So this looks like it should be a great oppourtunity for everyone."

[ajlisko]

Brian ... you're historical prowess is unparalleled (IMO) here on DCP and in all of DCland ... you have always been a great help to me when researching scores and recaps through the years ... and I may call upon your expertise soon again to help with some NY Skyliners scores from the 50's, based on something that was recently posted on their FB site - a Year End summary from 1958 created by Jay Tobin ...

Have a Very Merry Christmas!

:-)

Edited December 23, 2015 by ajlisko

[Northern Thunder]

Brian ... you're historical prowess is unparalleled (IMO) here on DCP and in all of DCland ... you have always been a great help to me when researching scores and recaps through the years ... and I may call upon your expertise soon again to help with some NY Skyliners scores from the 50's, based on something that was recently posted on their FB site - a Year End summary from 1956 created by Jay Tobin ...

Have a Very Merry Christmas!

:-)

Thanks AJ!! Funny you should mention Jay Tobin. His son Phil (one-time mayor of Tuckahoe, NY) saved Jay's files, and told his wife that she should send them to me when Phil died. You can imagine how surprised I was 25 years ago to get a box from UPS that had all of Jay's old drum corps notebooks, etc. I cherish them to this day.

I'm always happy to help people find drum corps information.

Merry Christmas and a Happy 2016 to all!!!

[lindap]

According to a November, 2003 posting on soundmachine by someone involved with the corps (screen name "Canadacorps"), this is the story:

"I just want everyone to know that Allegiance Elite in Calgary, Alberta, and the Edmonton Strutters, of Edmonton Alberta, are going to be merging this year and its going to be an exciting season for them. Together, both groups are stronger than ever and were sounding great at their first camp together last weekend in Calgary. They're going to be a Strong Corps this year. The membership between the two groups was already at 70 members by the November camp, and they hope to be div 2 this year with about 100-120 members. This is a possibly acheivable goal too, by the looks of things. If not, they will be maxed in DIV III. They are going to be taking on a new name this year as well for performance at DCI, although a new name has not been decided yet."

Then, in April, 2004:

"The two corps will be fielding together for the 2004 season, under the name Fusion Drum and Bugle Corps. We have a full division three corps so far, and we are looking to be a very competitive unit. Our repertoire is "The Essence of Spirit" and includes arrangements of music by Stephen Melillo. The Tunes are as follows: Opener : Godspeed ; Balad: The Touchstone ; Third Piece: The Chosen ; Closer: The Wait of the World.

This is looking to be a very exciting season for the two corps, and there are still a few spots to be filled. We have three spots on the baritone line and one on the soprano section."

A few days later:

"The plan is to march just for 2004, and then to become separate entities again, bigger and better than before the merge. As for the two remaining "Fused" as I will put it for now, I have no idea, being only a member of the combined unit myself. What I do know, however, is that from the looks of it, we're going to be a great group this year.

P.S. This "merger" Idea isn't a new thing. The two groups have come together before.. In 1984, the First Canadian Regiment (now the Edmonton Strutters) and the Calgary Cavaliers (now Allegiance Elite) merged for that season to become the First Canadian Cavaliers.. And both corps ended up returning to the field stronger than before the merger. So this looks like it should be a great oppourtunity for everyone."

Mergers are a part of modern corporations. Perhaps 1970's drum corps were ahead of their time and had a good business plan for future corps?

The OP cited 4 corps that I knew. If we listed the corps with their years before the consolidation process, there was De La Salle Oaklands 1910-1974, Etobicoke Crusaders 1969-1974, Seneca Princemen along with other names 1961-1975, Toronto Optimists 1958-1975 for a total of 100 years of drum corp history in one city for 4 corps. I'm glad I participated in 5 few years of this remarkable collective era.

edit for one date

Edited December 27, 2015 by lindap