When I was a little boy, I wanted to be in the Lanett High School marching band. I thought those black and gold, Prussian Guard-style uniforms the members wore were magnificent! I remember being taken to local football games by my mother and father. The games were highly anticipated occasions, and the carefully orchestrated halftime shows were enthusiastically received by fans. That’s the way I remember it anyway. I know my family enjoyed them. It turned out, my musical interest didn’t extend much further than a childish desire to dress up like something out of the Nutcracker Suite. My athletic abilities weren’t much better, so I’ve spent my life in the stands. The urge to dress splendidly did not last, either.
47 responses to “The Music Boy”
Band was my life, marching was my exercise, at least from Junior High through College.
Today I’m in an orchestra, carrying my bass clarinet and both my A and Bb clarinets is my exercise.
And I prefer the concert tux to the band uniform.
Good on ‘ya TruckerRon! I still play my euphonium (and sometimes a British Baritone) in community bands and wind symphonies. Currently playing euphonium with the City of Perth Brass Band while we are down here on a temporary assignment. It was a “bucket list” item to someday play with a British-style brass band!
Not sure why that last one went in as “anonymous”…Rusty from Texas (and Australia for now!). Cheers!
March on! 🙂
Maybe this throwback strip would have worked better on March 4th?
So…..what instrument did Janis play in the marching band? JJ would probably say, “I don’t know.” Do we need to use our imaginations?
Yes, we do. Fun opportunity! Prob’ly flute.
Me, I was a trombonist. Front row.
Euphonium, Rusty! Gorgeously rich instrument!
March 4th is John Phillip Sousa Day, so the joke goes, Steve.
I see Janis as a saxophone player who was also a member of the Jazz Ensemble.
Euphonium major! Now mostly trombone, but I would love to be able to play euphonium or baritone in a British Brass Band! The lyrics to Seventy Six Trombones refer to a double bell euphonium – here’s an amazing solo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fneakYq2FYU
Our music department at BYU has a collection of rare instruments (some owned by the school, others on loan from collectors and faculty), including some double bell euphoniums and some really old tubas and sousaphones.
So, who were the best kissers? Flautists, brass players, sax players? My only experience was with a gal who played the Eb soprano clarinet.
I especially like Fleetwood Mac’s Tusk because of the marching band segment in it. Oh, man, those drums!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InjF8xj93LU
I never played any instruments but I married a string bass player, who was stuck with a drum in marching season. One nephew played French horn for a while.
One favorite musician joke: French horn players kiss good but they hold you funny.
Iove Tusk too and video is awesome with marching band.
I played trombone, clarinet, flute and piano but never marched.
I have been told I have a natural lip for flute. It is a useful gift in life.
In high school, my sister played the violin. Our band was small, so during football season she carried a flute two years (I think she could actually play a few notes.) and the cymbals the other. I played the trumpet the first year, and the baritone horn the other two.
Really liked the show, Bill/Paducah; many thanks for the connection. I had to watch several more items from that page…fascinating.
For some reason, I think Janis’ marching form could be suitable for a glockenspiel player. I guess her ability to peck out the letters so easily made me think of a person tapping on the correct musical notes.
In keeping with today’s theme…
Q. What do you call someone who hangs out with musicians?
A. A drummer.
How can one tell a viola is out of tune?
The bow is moving.
What does one take on a camping trip, a violin or a viola?
A viola. It’s larger and burns longer.
Did you hear the one about the millionaire trombonist?
Neither did I.
Love ’em, DJJG7! Most of the viola ones I’ve heard, but not the millionaire trombonist! I played in band and/or orchestra all the way through junior high and high school, also chorus in high school most of the time. Started on my brother’s cornet, got braces, switched to soprano saxophone (because that’s what the school had available), moved to a different town, and switched to string bass (same reason). So I’ve covered brass, woodwind, and strings, plus piano (pretty much forever) for percussion. Also English handbells, for that matter. Handbells are a lot of fun.
The founder of IKEA recently passed away. The funeral will be held as soon as they finish assembling the coffin.
All y’all talking about eclipse of blue super moon made me Google for information about viewing it from Tulsa. We are in hotel because it was my chemo day.
Told Ghost enthusiastically that it began here st 4.51 a.m. and we could just walk out door by pool to watch.
Ghost said the day we did that would indeed be s true ablue moon.
Blue Moon.
We are celebrating the Blue Moon with me, a pint of Haagen Dazs butter pecan ice cream and Ghost, a pi t of Ben and Jerry Cherry Garcia .
In bed. From the lobby fridge.
Ghost stepped outside the door and decided the weather was too severe to risk going across the street to Coldstone Creamery or Marble Slab.
It’s 43 degrees here now with strong breezes.