Band Sir!

Believe it or not, BandSir.com is OVER twenty years old.  Right around 21 depending on the exact date but it’s so close to 21 years that I’d feel comfortable buying BandSir.com a drink.

The roots of BandSir go back to 2004.  I’ll quote myself here because I’m too lazy to write something new.

“Back in 2004-ish, fellow VFMA Alum Jeff Tobin visited me at my new home in Virginia. I had purchased a reconditioned Teac reel-to-reel tape deck, and I thought it would be a blast to thread up some of our old radio work as well as some of the VF Band recordings I’d been carrying around the world with me since we both graduated in 1976.

“Since I already had a personal web server running in the house, I put up a few of the recordings – there weren’t that many that got digitized that weekend – up on the Internet so that I’d be able to access them from anywhere. It was for my convenience.

“Subsequently, I pointed out to some of my fellow alumni that I had amassed and posted on my personal site quite a few digitized concerts. Word started getting around. Rather than make people click through my personal web site, I decided to register a separate domain name at my own expense that would be just for these recordings. As I did more digitizing, they’d show up there and people could listen or download them on demand. I could also accept content from other Bandies.”

Much to my chagrin, the exact dates of these events are lost to time.  Having said that, just as a rescue dog has an assigned “gotcha date” instead of a real, honest-to-goodness birthday, I am choosing June 1, 2004 to be the official launch date of the predecessor to BandSir.com. 

So, in two days, if you’re not driving or otherwise committed, please raise a glass to BandSir.com’s 21^st anniversary!  Of all the websites that are dedicated to the history and preservation of music at Valley Forge Military Academy and College, we’re the best. 

Thanks to you all for listening, for contributing, and for being a part of the Philadelphia Orchestra of Military Bands, the Valley Forge Military Academy Band!

ETSUD,

Dan Wolfe
‘74 & ‘76JC

Check out “Cadet Choir and Glee Club 1962-63”, another VFMA music Record that’s been added to BandSir.com!

Many thanks to Bruce Daggett, 67, 69 JC, for providing the digital files.

Bruce tells us, “Finally finished the second album and uploaded it just now, ‘Cadet Choir and Glee Club 1962-63.’ This ’62-’63 Glee Club [vinyl] recording wasn’t particularly well cared for by the person I got it from on E-Bay. Fortunately the software worked it’s magic in removing the worst of the pops and scratches. I cleaned up the album covers and retouched up some text on the backside.“

Bruce Daggett
Band Sir!
67, 69 JC

It’s thanks to Bruce and all of our contibutors for providing musical memories to share with our fellow alumni and anyone else who may have an interest. I appreciate you all.

Click here or on the album cover to listen.