Hi Sherry,
Thank you, again!

*quote: I've got to know, given your playing history that I do know, if you played in a marching band.

The answer to that could be long. Yes! I was 9 years old and joined the Baltimore Colts Marching Band the very first week after my first clarinet lesson. The moderator for the Colt band ( Bob Cissin ) moved across the street from me. I learned 3 notes the first lesson and was practicing them when he heard me through the open window...squeak, squeak, squeak...squawk, squawk, squawk. He asked my mother if I could play in the band and she said yes. I was scared to death. I only knew 3 notes (badly) how could I play in the #1 marching band in town? He said it didn't matter. No one would hear me anyway and I could learn faster with the band than on my own. He only needed "bodies" to fill up the band. There were only about 30 players at that time, and the first Colt football team had left town and the band stayed together. That was in 1947. Most people (even those from Baltimore) do not even remember a football team before the NFL Colts came to Baltimore in 1954. They also don't remember that the original Colts colors were green and silver. We played mostly at Firemen's carnivals, Amusement Park amphitheaters, and were the big attraction at the Dundalk, Md 4th of July parade, as well as every other parade. I played with them for 9 years and another 4 years with my high school band, Calvert Hall College High School. So, in all, I played clarinet for 13 years in a marching band. I am sure I could get my old high school band to play this march. I just missed my 50th high school reunion (they didn't have my new address) and therefore missed the opportunity last month to visit with my old band instructors and the band, which is something I always did every 5 years at the reunions.
Here's a secret: The marching drum part at the end of the song is an actual drum beat the Colts used when I was with them. That is the "sticks" beat. It was neat because they also twirled the sticks and tossed them in the air while playing that beat... Pretty awesome! The majorettes also twirled gasoline lit batons. They were pretty famous for that feat (don't forget it was 1947). Bob's daughter was a majorette in the band. Her name was Roberta. So, as you can see, I was pretty lucky to live across the street from them. If not for that, I would never have had that kind of experience so early in my musical life.
The many different genres I have done lately I think I owe to you. Mididrum files taught me how to do that. You simply take a drum loop, add a bass part from the drum beat (and a chord progression) and then sing along with it to come up with parts to fit. That is also how you come up with many different themes and melodies. It took me a while to get the hang of it, but it works like a charm. Anyone who wants to learn from new ideas should go to that web site and sign up for the news letters. Drum parts used to frustrate me terribly, but it is getting a lot easier. Marching drum parts are absolutely the easiest to write. They pretty much mimic the melody and are very straight forward. Latin beats, however, are the hardest for me, but I am working on that. Anyway, sorry to bend your ear but I am so fond of those years with the Colts I couldn't help myself. Thanks for asking, you brought back so many great memories!

Cheers,
Fred