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How Did You Start in Drum Corps?


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Here's my story, what is yours?

 

 

Back in 1968 I was out riding my bike when I heard drums and then music. I raced over a busy road and traveled through the neighborhood to locate this music. Marching down Leah Avenue (near Rescue Fire Co.5 in North Tonawanda, NY) I saw a man carrying three very large drums and another carrying two drums. I watched as they marched down the street. I remember thinking I wanted to do that! In 1969 we moved into a new area of our city and in 1970 at a park a block away, two drum and bugle corps were putting on an exhibition. I saw the Getzville Suburban Knights and the Royal Coachmen perform. I wanted to do that! 

In June 1971 my father and I went to the Sweeney Hose Field Day parade and we talked to the corps director and drum major about joining. The next Tuesday I attended my first rehearsal and that was it for me. My parents tried to get me to quit from 1974 to 1976 but I stayed at it and became a soloist. My vacations were traveling to Canada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois. Even though I am not on staff of a corps anymore I miss those days and the friends I had. 

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My two older brothers joined a Garden State Circuit corps... the Raiders of 88 from Highland Park, NJ, next town over from where we lived... in 1967.

The corps disbanded after that '67 season.... but I remember going to some shows that summer to see them. That was my first exposure to drum corps that I recall.

Longer story shorter.... one of my brothers ended up with an Eastern States Circuit junior corps... Sacred Heart Crusaders from Manville, NJ, starting with the 1969 season. My other brother joined a somewhat larger organization called the U.S. Air Force. :tongue:

I then joined the Crusaders for 1971.  Six seasons there, then the Long Island Sunrisers DCA corps for six more, starting with 1977.

My last season on the field was 1982, at age 24. Started announcing shows in 1983. The rest, I suppose, is history.  LOL.

Edited by Fran Haring
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My high school band director (horn instructor) and drum major (mello player) were with the Long Island Kingsmen  and asked me to come and check it out.  The rest is history!!!

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"In the Begining:"

My Dad took me to tht old Barnum Festivals "Parade Of Champions"  senior show way back in 57 or 58.  Vaugely remember Hawthorne, Princemen, Geneva Appleknockers and  Conn Yankees.  A year later the Bridgeport PAL Cadets held their junior show wit St Vincents Cadets and some other leaders of the day.  Our parish had started a parade corps and I was hooked.

Elphaba

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  • 2 weeks later...

Fran's brother-in-law lived across the street from me.  He asked me if I wanted to join a drum corps?  I asked him "what  the hell was a drum corps?"

 

I got hooked quickly.  Bucky Swan was my 1st horn instructor and like fran and his brother I marched with the Crusaders and then 
Sunrisers.   Of course I also marched Reading Buccaneers for 2 years.  Without question my favorite time in Corps.

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I started in about 1971 in the feeder corps for those dang New London, Ct. Surfers. Three time northeastern champ with that sickness. I guess I just couldn't break out of it so I got a DCA championship with the Rhode Island Matadors. Ten years was enough. What I see today makes me sick. I just wish I had a shot at today's "big guns" under the old rules. It just sticks to me how much hard work, dedication, discipline and sacrifice it took to compete under those rules. These must be the kids that walked by me every practice shaking there heads "no". Didn't have what it took to compete under those rules I guess. Drum Corps shows were predicated to that strict morality of God and Country. Not even one color presentation to be seen, nowadays. Well, I guess they hay have fun, dancin' and prancin', trippin' flippin' and skippin'. Nah, they wouldn't be able to compete when Military bearing, precision and uniformity made you the best.

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It's true that the "rules" are different, and today's performers couldn't do what we did without a whole lot of training. Likewise, we would fail at what is required of them now.

But make no mistake, they work even harder than we did, and much more efficiently. Everyone's entitled to their preferences, but respect is due for great accomplishments, regardless of style.

 

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I played trumpet in school band thru grade nine, then attended a technical high school that did not have a music program.  Several of my friends from school were in a drum and bugle corps, and they worked on me for a year before I finally went to a practice and joined the corps.  My only regret is that I wasted that year.  I marched on and off in various senior field and alumni corps from 1966 until 2003.

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" I marched on and off in various senior field and alumni corps from 1966 until 2003. "

That's a pretty impressive career on the field, and I compliment you for continuing to fulfill missions for Bugles Across America.

As a veteran and BAA member I thank you for providing that honor.

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A fellow trumpeter in my middle school band asked me if I had heard of the Blue Devils and invited me to a practice. I showed up and they gave me this horn with 2 weird (pr). A pretty girl named Bonnie was teaching us. 

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