Drum Corps History Podcast

Episode 033: North Star

ron@diceman-radio.com (Ron Allard/Diceman Radio) — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:00:30 +0000

“The history of junior drum corps has been full of corps created by mergers. Most of these corps have been successes in the short term, but were unable to succeed in the long term. The exceptions that managed to to survive the first few years, however, have generally been notable successes. Such a corps was [...]

Episode 032: Drum Corps Associates Part II

ron@diceman-radio.com (Ron Allard/Diceman Radio) — Mon, 07 May 2012 10:00:15 +0000

“Throughout the closing years of the Century, DCA continued to grow and prosper. Overall, corps got larger and better.” … … Links to material used in this episode: A History of Drum and Bugle Corps Volume 2 POCM Fleetwood Sounds Digital CDs

Episode 031: Drum Corps Associates Part I

ron@diceman-radio.com (Ron Allard/Diceman Radio) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:00:51 +0000

“One of the oldest and most successful circuits in the drum corps arena is Drum Corps Associates. Prior to the establishment of DCA, senior corps competed in loosely knit geographic areas dominated by strong contest sponsors and the only thing close to an “establishment” was the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars.” … … [...]

Episode 030: Hawthorne Muchachos

ron@diceman-radio.com (Ron Allard/Diceman Radio) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:00:44 +0000

“In January 1959, American Legion Post No. 199 in Hawthorne, New Jersey, and the Hawthorne Caballeros joined forces to start the Muchachos. Ralph Silverbrand, drum major of the Caballeros, and Marge Moore, wife of the former post commander, were the two main forces behind the humble beginnings.” … – Links to material used in this [...]

Episode 029: Rhode Island Matadors

ron@diceman-radio.com (Ron Allard/Diceman Radio) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 10:00:04 +0000

“The year was 1969. Two senior drum & bugles corps, the Holy Rosary Caballeros and the Skylarks from Providence, Rhode Island, merged. Rick Harrington was instrumental in getting the corps started by calling members from the disbanded Holy Rosary Caballeros and getting them to join. He called Gil Silva and Silva told him he would [...]

Episode 028: St. Lucy’s Cadets

ron@diceman-radio.com (Ron Allard/Diceman Radio) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 10:00:42 +0000

“One of the oldest church-sponsored drum corps in the East was St. Lucy’s Cadets from Newark, NJ. Organized in 1924 as a fife, drum and bugle corps, St. Lucy’s appeared in numerous parades and concerts, both locally and nationally, and won several national titles in standstill competitions.”… – Links to material used in this episode: [...]

Episode 027: Steel City Ambassadors

ron@diceman-radio.com (Ron Allard/Diceman Radio) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 10:00:21 +0000

“One of the great themes of history or literature is of the outsider who comes out of nowhere, reaches the top and then fades away. In Drum Corps Associates, there is no better example of the obscure unit that rises, burns brightly and then collapses, than the Steel City Ambassadors of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania”… – Links [...]

Episode 026: Blue Rock

ron@diceman-radio.com (Ron Allard/Diceman Radio) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 10:00:48 +0000

“Blue Rock was founded in 1958 in Wilmington, Delaware and Penns Grove, New Jersey. Oddly enough, Blue Rock’s origins were as a senior corps. But with the other well-established seniors such as the Archer-Epler Musketeers and Reilly Raiders in Philadelphia, and the Yankee Rebels in Baltimore, the new corps from Delaware was unable to establish [...]

Episode 025: Lt. Norman Princemen

ron@diceman-radio.com (Ron Allard/Diceman Radio) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 10:00:54 +0000

“These were the men of yesteryear, The men we knew so well, Who blazed the trail with head held high, To fame, international. These were the men who played the game, To victory, or defeat. Were classified by their competitors, Incomparable, elite. These were the men, whose horns lie mute, And now have faltered in [...]

Episode 024: 27th Lancers

ron@diceman-radio.com (Ron Allard/Diceman Radio) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 10:00:43 +0000

“Sitting in his old reclining chair, George Bonfiglio watched that old 1936 movie, “The Charge of the Light Brigade”, pondering what the future would bring for his desire to resurrect his recently deceased drum corps. At that moment, Bongiflio knew his fledgling drum corps — with no home, no equipment and no money — had [...]