The music, as well as the overall tough and dignified and no nonsense demeanor/class projected by the corps - you just did not mess with them.

So many good memories. I truly have to say there are probably too many to count. The first thing that comes to my mind are the wonderful people and friends I have met through the organization - this includes instructors and marching members that preceded and came along after I marched, as well as the staff, members, volunteers and other board members I've gotten to know while privileged to serve as a member of the board of directors. There has always been a sense of family and a connection with anyone who has marched in our corps. Also, the overall sense of accomplishment and pride belonging to and contributing to such a first class and respected organization. I also loved helping out with and instructing the winter guard in 1983 with their American In Paris show.

Ave Maria

My good bud and seat partner Neely Saltzman

I was a three year resident of Bus 4 (the staff bus) and was never cool enough for Bus 3 (where funny bus stories are likely more rampant), but we always had fun with and got to know the staff a bit better than most. The only funny story I remember was in 1983 when we were pulling into our school in Grand Rapids and I looked out the window as our busses pulled in and as I watched busses 1 - 3 pull into the lot I noted I did not see and asked where Bus 4 was? I was so groggy (perhaps still asleep) that I wasn't realizing I was on it.

I went to school at Rockford College and I stayed with the family of my friend Laura Mendrzycki. I still call her parents Mom and Dad M and talk with them quite a bit to this day.

The drive and work ethic and capacity to do all possible to succeed, even when tired and the game seems unfair. To work hard to achieve excellence was one of the most invaluable lessons the corps taught and teaches. It is not about winning, though that is certainly nice, but pushing yourself to succeed and being the best you can possibly be without worrying about the consequences. Those skills helped me tremendously during law school and as a litigation partner here at Dykema Gossett. I learned to work hard to succeed - knowing that all I can do is my best and to not worry about the results. The trick is that if you do that the results are normally good (or at least pretty good).

We auditioned, but it is not nearly competitive as it is now. I played something and was pretty much in. There were not nearly as many people and it is not as competitive as it is now. The way it was then was you were in until they decided to make cuts or have you transition in and out of the show as an alternate.

1980: Northern Lights (Cleveland, OH); 1981: Canton Bluecoats (back when the Bluecoats were 38th - other abysmal placement - in what was then Open Class); then Phantom Regiment.

Enjoy the experience and the love and learn all that you can from the staff and your co-members. Also, to stay in touch with the corps and build on those relationships.

1984. We were in Wyoming for ensemble rehearsal and were practicing the first company front in 1812. I was at the very end of the front on side 2. Someone in the horn line on side 2 had an epic crack/blat that reverberated throughout the stadium. Dan Farrell was not happy and asked who it was (it was not me). Everyone from the 50 on over sequentially turned their heads and looked down the line. Because I was the one on the end and had no one to look at, I was assigned blame and had to take a tour around the track for the brass assault. I think that was also the rehearsal where members of the horn line, tired of the marching box and the stupid shirt (a shirt that had to be worn by the member making the most marching errors during the warm-up box) ran the darn shirt up the school's flag pole.

Obviously all of our great shows. The crowd response at the end of our finals show in 1984 and every time we performed Spartacus come to mind. But now, years later, I most fondly remember the shows where things did not go right, such as the start of our Dekalb finals show in 1984 when only 1/2 the corps heard Marcia because the crowd shouted SUTA!!!!! when she gave the command to start the show. Why did this happen? The staff decided to place her for that one and only show on the field behind 1/2 of the corps - not coincidentally the 1/2 that didn't start. The French Horns were still standing there when the sopranos whipped by us - Good Lord we've started! It was about as close to an unmitigated disaster as we ever came (well, the 1st show of the 1983 field coverage tour de force, where the staff was happy we managed to start and stop together, was pretty close), but the best was the write up about the show in Drum Corps World where the writer, having no idea of the screw up, commented on the interesting change we had made to the start of our show with a cascade/ripple entry and movement by the horn-line to add to the cacophony that was Scythian Suite. ?!?!

Another one was 1982 when the guard staff set up the guard equipment 5 yards off (Lansdale, Pennsylvania). Chuck Hess, our drum major, was conducting the opener and all of the sudden John Brazale appears right next to the drum major podium (we all saw him as we marched around and wondered what was up) and at the end of Entry To Rome and before the start of Slave Market, Brazale started yelling at the guard that the equipment was set up 5 yards off. When the guard first went to the front sideline to change equipment (I think before Prelude To Battle?) they were all up there chucking shields and flags to each other all over the place. Hysterical!

Brazale was the most intimidating, but also one of the nicest, caring and most fun when outside of rehearsal. I really got to know him well when I was helping to instruct the 1983 winter guard. I was then a budding drill writer wanna be and he looked at my charts and helped out. He even liked and used a few of my ideas. The French Horn we formed near the start of 1812 in 1983 (when the horn line stopped and knelt) was actually based on one of my charts.

All of the staff and support personnel were always the best, but my heart has always been with and I have always favored Barb Schantzen and Audrey Engelhard. Why? Again, so much stems from that 1983 winter guard. Because Audrey and Barb were always around (as the guard seamstresses and costumers extraordinaire), I got to spend a lot of time together and they really took me under their wing. We became hard and fast friends and they were always there with a laugh, wink or knowing look if something went awry or off course, such as when in 1984 one of the sewing ladies sewed the zipper in my pants shut - as opposed to fixing the zipper. Barb: She did what? Honey, hand over the pants - I'll fix them for you.

I believe it was around $400/year?

DCI Finals in Indy, 2011

I am a member of the Phantom Regiment Alumni Organization and also, as noted, the Board of Directors.

I loved all three - with a slight edge to Spartacus in 1982.

Playing Elsa's.