Have You Heard The Air Force Band?
Last evening Bev & I drove over to the band shell in Lithia Park in Ashland to hear one of the Air Force Bands. This particular unit was from the bay area of California, and included some outstanding musicians and arrangers. If you think of military bands as groups that simply play marches, you’re in for a real surprise. They play marches, classics, pop, jazz & more, and have fun doing it.
The United States Air Force Band is a musical organization with an outstanding record of achievement of more than 60 years. Known as “America’s International Musical Ambassadors,” it has won the hearts of millions of music lovers throughout the world.
The band’s official military life began on September 24, 1941, with the formation of the Bolling Army Air Forces Band under the sponsorship of Lieutenant L.P. Holcomb, commanding officer of the Air Base Group at Bolling Field. Since that time, the Band has grown from relative obscurity to stardom under the leadership of ten diverse and talented conductors.
From 1955 to 1961, the Air Force Band was joined by the WAF Band as twin ambassadors of the USAF, though USAF policy kept the WAF Band from overseas appearances. The WAF Band, founded as a local base band in 1951 at Lackland Air Force Base, were stationed alongside the all-male USAF Band at Bolling from 1953 to 1957 after which the popular women’s band was invited to Norton Air Force Base where they stayed until being disbanded in 1961. Some 235 women served in the WAF Band’s ten-year lifespan.
Over the years, The United States Air Force Band has performed live for over 100 million people. The band has also been broadcast via television and radio.
The band has embarked on 25 international concert tours, with performances in more than 50 countries and 42 world capitals. The musicians in The United States Air Force Band seek to promote better understanding between all people of the world, traveling as goodwill ambassadors.
From Wikipedia
If you haven’t ever heard any of the military bands in concert, you’re in for a treat.