and the Marching Band plays on

[SignMan]

https://folklife.si.edu/magazine/band-k ... ching-band

[Berkman]

Nice article. I can remember when I started going to the games back in the 60 when we were known as the REDMEN the leader of the band known as METAWAMPE (sp ?) would lead the band down the field in full headdress.

[e_parade]

Interesting to see some of the photos throughout there as well - lots from similar time frames, but I guess it makes sense since there was a lot of focus from the beginning of George Parks' career and the end of it.

I had graduated a couple years before he died, but I'm fairly certain everyone who had ever been in his band had found out that same night. Everyone went into phone tree mode and started calling everyone we knew about it. Definitely received some calls from people who were Freshmen when I was in my last year in the band, looking for that "santa" moment referenced in the article from someone they hoped would be able to do it again. The next couple of weeks had a bunch of impromptu meetings of alumni wherever we could gather, including a few spots in Boston where we were basically the entire restaurant. Interestingly enough, the article didn't mention how homecoming that year was 1 month to the day he died, and resulted in over 900 alumni band members coming back to do the Alumni show that year (normally it's like 70? Not sure, I only did it the once). It was so many that other colleges and nearby highschools were loaning extra instruments so everyone would be able to play (I'm almost certain even UCONN sent some up).

The Marching Band building on campus is named the George N Parks building, and it was named that prior to his death. He somehow didn't realize that despite leading the band for over 30 years, winning the highest award you can as a college band (the Sudler Trophy), and fundraising millions from alumni for it, that it would result in UMass naming it after him (his wife recollected him saying "...they're naming the building after me. Am I dreaming?" the night he found out). He never got to see it completed or even step inside, but at least he was able to know both his biggest dreams for the band were being realized that year: 1. A building on campus just for the band; 2. Bring the band to perform at Michigan (he modeled the band after the Michigan band, and his idols from there). The trip he died on was the one to perform at Michigan. Here's that performance, for anyone who interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivJn3oJVKs0


So anyway. There's that.

[Berkman]

I wonder if anyone has video of the REDMAN marching band from back in the 70/80's?

[e_parade]

If they do, it most likely wouldn't have made it online. Parks was pretty stringent about what could be posted online and would often search for it and ask people to take it down if it had bad angles/shots/sounds or anything. There might be something from before he started though, which would mid 70s at the latest for those potential videos.

[econalum]

The Redman designation was dropped for Minuteman in 1972 or 3.

[SignMan]

Statesmen, Aggies, Redmen, Minutemen...

The Trustees voted the Redmen out after the 1972 Spring semester.