Does anybody know whether or not there are still drum and bugle corps.
In doing research, I found references in my neighborhood from the 30s and 40s that quite a few of the Boy Scout troops had drum and bugle corps. The Boy Scout troop I belonged to in the 60s, still had the old bass drum. In helping my father clean out old cabinets at the legion hall, we came across several old bugles dating back to the 30s.
I also remember my mother telling me back in the early 40s she briefly played drums for a bugle corp sponsored by a church.
My own experiences in the 60s being in parades as a boy scout, I remember two bands or drum and bugle corps that were also in the parade. One was the Imperials and the other was the Cavaliers. It is possible that the Cavaliers may have been sponsored by a VFW post in Park Ridge.
There was a drum and bugle corps called the Nisei Ambassadors that were often at events in my area (Edgewater) in the 1970's. They were mostly Japanese kids. (I think the term "Nisei" has something to do with second generation Japanese immigrants). I haven't heard anything about them lately, but I always enjoyed seeing them in their heyday.
The Cavaliers are still a championship outfit, based in Rosemont. I remember when they used to occasionally practice on the then-empty point of land at Higgins & Devon, next to the school I went to at the time.
The Ludwig Drum company was a big supporter and endorser of drum corps groups, as was Slingerland. Bill Ludwig I and II were collectors of antique rope snare marching drums.
With your information, i looked up the Cavaliers in the Tribune archives. There was a article this past june stating the corps was celebrating 65 years. The article mentions they won 7 world championships. The band is open to boys 17-22.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/19/2013 11:23AM by Kchi.