Bang the Drum LOUDLY

I recently had the privilege of meeting some very dedicated musicians. No, they weren't famous, far from it in fact. These were some folks from California who spend their summers competing against other marching bands. What struck me was the fact these competitors are not paid. They don't even have their expenses paid for. Every single one pays out of pocket to do this.


The Drum Corps Association was holding a "Preview of Champions" in Winston-Salem last weekend and Brent Campbell and I were "previewing" the "Preview." We went to where the Renegades were banging their drums and tooting their horns, behind an elementary school near downtown. The Renegades, from San Francisco, are touted as one of the best "marching" bands in the country. I didn't have a chance to see them perform but just watching them practice was a treat indeed.


If you ever get a chance to check out these dedicated musicians, you should. If it weren't raining cats and dogs the night of this competition it might have been something our family would enjoy. For now, I'll have to wait and see if they ever come back to our area again. There is a chance that the national championship could come to Winston-Salem so we'll keep our ears open for news of that.