Band late 70's early 80's

[kevin]

Anyone remember drummers in the band would be dressed in Tuxedos and at one point do their own show!! Pretty exciting

[JMV JustMyView]

Anyone remember drummers in the band would be dressed in Tuxedos and at one point do their own show!! Pretty exciting

Roarman might have been part of that.

[CajunSaint08]

Kind of remember. But I do remember the horn line with Mike Ritter. That dude could blow. But then again, that is when they had 150+ horn line and 25+ drumline, and 70+ flags and rifles. When they played, you could hear them all the way to Kaplan and beyond. And when they took the field, they literally took the field. They spread from goal line to goal line.

[HoustonCajun]

Kind of remember. But I do remember the horn line with Mike Ritter. That dude could blow. But then again, that is when they had 150+ horn line and 25+ drumline, and 70+ flags and rifles. When they played, you could hear them all the way to Kaplan and beyond. And when they took the field, they literally took the field. They spread from goal line to goal line.

Didn't we have a drum corp back then that was national champion or something to that effect? I remember that the drum corp would put on quite a show.

[HelmutVII]

From a member of the band back then.

Yes—it was around 1979-80 when we won the PAS Collegiate National Championship for TWO straight years!!
FYI—It SHOULD’VE been THREE, but they couldn’t go back the third time due to to band going to an out of town conference game!

[HelmutVII]

This is a photo

[Ragin9221]

This is a photo

I found YouTube video from 1984 . We were doing Spanish music then to! Damn that trumpet part is no joke!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tJ415R...MTk4MCBvbGQ%3D

[HelmutVII]

I started in 1972. Jim Goodman's first year. We got better each year. Goodman was great. Jimmy Armand would play the Budweiser song after halftime. Schilling would let us have the Schilling shack for free for a Christmas party after football season. He would provide red beans and rice too.

Jimmy stayed in college for about 9 years to maintain his student deferment. If not his butt was going to Viet Nam.

[NOCajun]

This is a photo

That line was from some time between 1982 and 1986, when I was in POA. John Whooten, who is the current Director of Music at USM, was the snareline captain at that time. I recognize the split-shell snares they were playing at that time. They won at least 2 or 3 PAS National Titles.

[AstroCajun]

When I think of the band in that era, I think about the basketball band playing "Sir Duke" at Blackham. They should bring that back.

[CajunSaint08]

I found YouTube video from 1984 . We were doing Spanish music then to! Damn that trumpet part is no joke!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tJ415R...MTk4MCBvbGQ%3D

Yes, that was Mike Ritter on trumpet. Thanks for finding this. It brings back great memories. Dude could blow. I remember that Maynard Ferguson was in Acadiana for a concert. They used USL's jazz band as a warmer up before he took the stage. Mike Ritter was part of that band. No one wanted USL's band to leave the stage. Ferguson actually got ____ed.

[CajunSaint08]

That line was from some time between 1982 and 1986, when I was in POA. John Whooten, who is the current Director of Music at USM, was the snareline captain at that time. I recognize the split-shell snares they were playing at that time. They won at least 2 or 3 PAS National Titles.

That's right. I played with John in the high school jazz band. He was a senior my freshman year. He was awesome then too. He has a FB page that he show cases his works and his classes at USM. Still awesome today.

[barisaxman]

Yes, that was Mike Ritter on trumpet. Thanks for finding this. It brings back great memories. Dude could blow. I remember that Maynard Ferguson was in Acadiana for a concert. They used USL's jazz band as a warmer up before he took the stage. Mike Ritter was part of that band. No one wanted USL's band to leave the stage. Ferguson actually got ____ed.

I was playing in the Jazz Ensemble when that happened—the concert was at Crowley High, and Mr Goodman purposely programmed several Maynard charts to feature Ritter. Maynard’s band heard Mike from backstage, and called him to come listen. Maynard was blown away and even had Mike go up on stage with him during his set!! Maynard offered Mike a shot at going on the road with him…..never materialized.

[ultracajun]

They played blindfolded

[CajunSaint08]

I was playing in the Jazz Ensemble when that happened—the concert was at Crowley High, and Mr Goodman purposely programmed several Maynard charts to feature Ritter. Maynard’s band heard Mike from backstage, and called him to come listen. Maynard was blown away and even had Mike go up on stage with him during his set!! Maynard offered Mike a shot at going on the road with him…..never materialized.

That was an awesome night. How is Mr. Goodman. He married a girl from my neighborhood that I grew up in. I haven't seen them in about 2 years now. Used to sit next to them at the football games.