Check out the new album “A Community’s Tribute.” Many thanks to Norm Arndt for providing the album. It’s contributors like him that make this work.

Click here or on the album covers to listen!

Here’s some more information:

From Norm Arndt, “I have an original of this album if you are interested Dan.. mostly Dirge music by our band but you are welcome to it. Title is ‘A COMMUNITY’S TRIBUTE’ and was recorded when we performed for JFK’s funeral in Philly… 1963

Norm (Buddy) Arndt 62/64JC”.

Here’s the text from the back of the album cover:

“On November 22, 1963, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, 35th President of the United States, was assassinated in Dallas. Philadelphians grieved the loss no more than other Americans, but with a special relevance. For it was in their city that the concepts of Government which President Kennedy had been charged to maintain were born. It was for this reason that WCAU-TV, as a service to the Community, initiated and arranged for A COMMUNITY’S TRIBUTE to the murdered President. The tribute took place November 24, 1963 on the steps of Independence Hall, the place where the United States Constitution was born; the place where President Abraham Lincoln’s body, less than 98 years earlier, had laid in state after his assassination; the place where on July 4, 1962, President Kennedy himself had spoken to the City and the Nation. Ten thousand Philadelphians, among them many distinguished artists, educators, jurists, representatives of business, labor, and civic organizations, joined with the Governors of Pennsylvania and New Jersey; the Secretary of State of Delaware; U.S. Senators; the Mayor of Philadelphia; diplomats and prominent clergymen, to pay their respects to a murdered President, Master of ceremonies was John Facenda. Music was provided by the Marching Band of Valley Forge Military Academy; and Singing City Choirs, under the direction of Elaine Brown. Among those who also contributed to the ceremony were the Mounted Troop of the Fairmount Park Guards; the Police Department Highway Patrol Drill Team – which at President Kennedy’s request rode in his inaugural parade – and honor guards from all branches of the Armed Services. It is with a sense of the history of the moment in which all of the above participated that WCAU-TV has recorded this, A COMMUNITY’S TRIBUTE.“

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