I Just Realized Something Rather Astonishing
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 21st 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
Great….great ….work….how I wished I took the scholarship in 1974 instead of 1977….
Thanks so much, Dan (and contributors) for preserving a legacy that otherwise would have been long gone.
Cheers!!
I only wish that I kept my records of the VFMA Band from 1967, 1968 and 1969. Any bandie from back keep these records? Now that I am back into vinyls, I’m sorry I no longer have them.
I have a vinyl disc which I think may have been first vinyl made, published I think in ’56, my last year there as a bandie. DK Feltham was Band Tac/Director then. Dick Buxbaum, 56 Band
Hey there! If you have an album that’s not on the site, I’ll be happy to digitize it and return it. Email me to setit up if you’re interested.
Dan
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.62/64.
Great to hear from you! I would love to be able to digitize it and return it to you. I’ll send you an email and make contact and we can go from there.
Dan
Please send your email address to me at danwolfe.us@gmail.com. We can make arrangemnts to get the album here and back.
Dan
Kudos big time to you Dan for your continuing efforts to preserve the VF Band legacy.
Thanks much, sir! Couldn’t have done it without all the contributors and all the people who listen to the site. It’s a great pleasure.