Anaheim Kingsmen Drum and Bugle Corps

The Anaheim Kingsmen is a competitive junior drum and bugle corps. Based in Anaheim, California the corps was a charter member corps of Drum Corps International (DCI) and the first DCI World Champion.[1]

History

The Kingsmen had their origins in the Anaheim Explorer Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps, founded by Don Porter in 1958. Practicing on military installations, the corps and its members adopted a very military style, even when out of uniform. In 1963, the Explorer Scouts corps split into two new corps, the Kingsmen and the Velvet Knights.

By the late 1960s the corps, nicknamed "The Blue Machine" was touring nationally and became a contender for major national titles in the early '70's. The corps at this time was financially sound, having a strong parents' support group and corporate sponsorship from Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, and the Anaheim Angels. In late 1971, the Kingmen became a founding member of Drum Corps International. However, 1972 got off to a rocky start, when founder Don Porter suddenly resigned as director. With rumors of the corps' demise spreading around the country, the corps reorganized under interim directors Don Wells and Don Linscott. Starting late, the corps spent six weeks of hard work to put their show together before departing on their national tour. The corps won both the U.S. Open in Marion, Ohio and the CYO Nationals in Boston before arriving in Whitewater, Wisconsin for the inaugural DCI World Championships. The Kingsmen placed third in the preliminary competition, behind Santa Clara Vanguard and Blue Stars, but vaulted past both corps in Finals to win the first-ever DCI title.[2]

1972 was the Kingsmen's finest hour, but their success was part of the cause of the corps' downfall. Practicing hard to make up for their late start, the corps missed out on numerous opportunities to play for pay. This, combined with the expense of staying at a motel before Finals and the loss of Don Porter's financial abilities put the corps into financial distress. They continued to challenge in DCI for only two more years, finishing 6th in 1973, and 3rd in 1974, before the corps went inactive in 1975 to try to reorganize its finances. After their return to the field in 1976, the Kingsmen were no longer a contender, touring and attending DCI for only three years before again going inactive, this time for four years. The corps returned to DCI competition from 1982 to 1986, but never placed higher than 28th. The corps then restricted itself to local West Coast performances in Class A60, with some success, but, after losing their drum line to another corps and their fully loaded equipment trailer to thieves, the Kingsmen left the field after the 1988 season.[2][3]

The Kingsmen organization relocated to Stanton in 1989 and reorganized their bingo operation, which continued to raise money for the group for at least another dozen years. They purchased a building in Garden Grove for use as a corps hall. The Kingsmen continued to sponsor percussion ensembles and winter guards for competition in Winter Guard International during the 1990s. In 2002, the Kingsmen sponsored a small brass and percussion group named Starcorps with the intent of it being the startup for a return of the Kingsmen. To date, the group is still trying to raise funds to return the corps to the field.[2]

The 286 member Kingsmen Alumni Corps returned the Kingsmen name to the field in 2007, making several appearances, including a performance at the DCI Semi-Finals at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on August 10.

Sponsorship

The Kingsmen Drum and Bugle Corps is sponsored by Kingsmen Starcorps Inc., a 501 (c)(3) musical organization that has a Board of Directors to carry out the organization's mission. The Chairman of the board is Tim Benge.[4]

Show summary (1969-1984)

Source:[5][6]

Year Theme Repertoire Score Result
1969 Ratatat (Unknown) / Eternal Father, Strong to Save aka Navy Hymn by John B. Dykes and William Whiting /
When Johnny Comes Marching Home by Louis Lambert (Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore) / Fanfare For The New by Hugo Montenegro /
Light My Fire by Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek, John Densmore, and Robby Krieger / The Yard Went On Forever by Jimmy Webb /
McNamara's Band by Guy Bonham, John J. Stamford, Red Latham, Shamus O'Connor, and Wamp Carlson 		80.85 9th
(VFW)
1970 Ballet in Brass by Vic Schoen / When Johnny Comes Marching Home by Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore /
Fanfare For The New by Hugo Montenegro /
Light My Fire by Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek, John Densmore, and Robby Krieger /
The Yard Went On Forever by Jimmy Webb /
McNamara's Band by Guy Bonham, John J. Stamford, Red Latham, Shamus O'Connor, and Wamp Carlson /
That's the Way it Was by Jimmy Webb 		76.65 2nd
(Am.Leg.)
1971 March from The Suite in E Flat by Gustav Holst / March from The Suite in E Flat by Ralph Vaughan Williams /
When Johnny Comes Marching Home by Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore /Mickey Mouse Club March by Jimmie Dodd /
Ritual Fire Dance (from El Amor Brujo) by Manuel de Falla / Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing) by Louis Prima /
Exodus by Ernest Gold / King of Kings by Miklos Rosza 		87.75 5th
(VFW)
1972 DCI's
1st Season 		March from Folk Song Suite by Ralph Vaughan Williams / When Johnny Comes Marching Home by Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore /
Mickey Mouse Club March by Jimmie Dodd / Ritual Fire Dance (from El Amor Brujo) by Manuel de Falla /
Sing, Sing, Sing by Louis Prima / Exodus by Ernest Gold / King of Kings by Miklos Rosza 		88.100 1st
(DCI)
1973 Suite for Band by Gustav Holst / English Folk Song Suite by Ralph Vaughan Williams / Sabre Dance by Aram Khachaturian /
Ritual Fire Dance (from El Amor Brujo) by Manuel de Falla / Sing, Sing, Sing by Louis Prima /
El Cid by Miklos Rosza and Paul Francis Webster / King of Kings by Miklos Rosza 		82.650 6th
1974 Dance at the Gym (from West Side Story) by Leonard Bernstein / Symphonie Fantastique by Hector Berlioz /
Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield / Artistry in Rhythm by Stan Kenton /
So Very Hard To Go by Emilio Castillo and Stephen "Doc" Kupka (Tower of Power) / Firebird Suite by Igor Stravinsky 		88.550 3rd
1975 Corps Inactive
1976 Mambo (from West Side Story) by Leonard Bernstein / Hill Where the Lord Hides by Chuck Mangione /
Cheshire Cat Walk by Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea / Artistry in Rhythm by Stan Kenton /
So Very Hard To Go by Emilio Castillo and Stephen "Doc" Kupka (Tower of Power) / Bravura Finale (from Firebird Suite) by Igor Stravinsky 		76.900 19th
1977 West Side Story Medley by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim /Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea /
I Believe in Love, Watch Closely Now & Evergreen (from A Star is Born) by Paul Williams / Firebird Suite by Igor Stravinsky 		83.600 14th
1978 Symphonie Fantastique by Hector Berlioz / Blue Rondo A La Turk by Dave Brubeck /
Selections from Close Encounters of the Third Kind by John Williams 		75.000 19th
1979-1981 Corps Inactive
1982 Come Back to Me (from On A Clear Day You Can See Forever) by Burton Lane and Alan Jay Lerner /
Evergreen (from A Star is Born) by Paul Williams /
Prologue, When You're a Jet, Maria & Gee, Officer Krupke (from West Side Story) by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim 		64.150 28th
1983 The Heat's On by Sammy Nestico / Mars (from The Planets) by Gustav Holst /
Night on Bald Mountain by Modest Musorgsky / Jupiter (from The Planets) by Gustav Holst /
I Believe in Love & Evergreen (from A Star Is Born) by Paul Williams / E.T. (from E.T.) by John Williams 		45.450 33rd
1984 Ritual Fire Dance (from El Amor Brujo) by Manuel de Falla / All Night Long by Lionel Richie /
Rio by Mack David / Ballet in Brass by Vic Schoen /
Evergreen (from A Star Is Born) by Paul Williams / Mambo (from West Side Story) by Leonard Bernstein 		72.800
55.800 		8th Division II
37th Division I
1985 No listing found 61.400 35th
1986 No listing found 67.700 30th

References

  1. ↑ http://www.dci.org
  2. 1 2 3 http://www.corpsreps.com/corpsreps.cfm?view=corpshist&corps=1&corpstype=Junior
  3. ↑ A History of Drum & Bugle Corps Vol. 2; Steve Vickers, ed.; Drum Corps World, Pub.; 2003
  4. ↑ http://www.kingsmendrumcorps.org/board
  5. ↑ http://www.corpsreps.com/corpsreps.cfm?view=corpsdet&corps=21&corpstype=Junior
  6. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com

External links

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