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Sky Ryders
Drum and Bugle Corps
LocationHutchinson, Kansas
DeSoto, Texas
DivisionOpen Class
(now World Class)
Founded1955
Folded1994

The Sky Ryders Drum and Bugle Corps was an Open Class (now World Class) competitive junior drum and bugle corps. Based in Hutchinson, Kansas and later in DeSoto, Texas (a suburb of Dallas, Texas), the Sky Ryders were a member of Drum Corps International and a six time DCI World Championship Finalist with a highest finish of 9th place in 1986.[1][2]

History

1950s – The Early Years

The organization was first established in 1952 as a junior corps, originally called the Lysle Rishel Post 68 Drum & Bugle Corps and led by director Ken Fairbrother, a former member of the Hawthorne Caballeros. In 1955, under the direction of H.D. "Prof" McCosh, the corps was reorganized and adopted the name Sky Ryders. They won their first American Legion Kansas state Championship in 1959. Their original show repertoire was based on the sky: Blue Skies, Over the Rainbow (from The Wizard of Oz), U.S. Air Force Song (Off We Go into the Wild Blue Yonder), and Ghost Riders in the Sky. In 1957, they won several Kansas state competitions and in 1959, they started competing in American Legion national competitions.[3]

1960s – Success, Hard Times, and Expansion

In 1960, the Sky Ryders won both the Kansas and Missouri state American Legion titles and traveled to Miami, Florida to compete in the American Legion Nationals. Over the next several years, the corps continued to be competitive on the state and national levels, but fell on hard times in 1966 and almost folded. They survived with the addition of members from their feeder corps, the Jets. Between 1967 and 1969 they added girls to playing sections, purchased a new set of Getzen bugles, and traveled out of state to compete in Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin. In 1969, brass instructor John Simpson recruited Larry Kerchner to collaborate on the corps' music. The corps had a successful year, winning the Kansas American Legion title, and competing at the American Legion Nationals in Atlanta, Georgia. The Sky Ryders were one of the first corps to make the switch from French horns to mellophones for mid-range voices.[3]

1970s – DCI's Early Years

In spite of a couple weak seasons to begin the decade, the Sky Ryders were among the first corps to compete in Drum Corps International's first competition in Whitewater, Wisconsin in 1972, finishing in 20th place. During the early 1970s, the corps was almost exclusively populated by local Hutchinson, Kansas talent. Beginning in 1977, membership began to grow with the influx of members from outside the local area and they placed 3rd in Class A Prelims at the DCI Championships in Denver, Colorado. In 1978, the corps switched from Class A to Open Class and had increasing success, placing 32nd in Denver, Colorado and 22nd in Birmingham, Alabama. During the late 1970s, corps director George Tuthill and brass instructor John Simpson continued to attract talent from nearby Oklahoma and Texas. Kerchner's unique and melodic arrangements were popular with fans and judges.[3]

In the early 1980s, Tuthill set out to get the Sky Ryders into DCI's elite Top 12. In 1980, they placed 17th in Birmingham, Alabama and placed 14th in 1981 in Montreal, Quebec at the first DCI Championship outside the United States. In 1982, Tuthill's goal was accomplished with a 10th place finish in Montreal's Olympic Stadium. The corps performed a Spanish-themed show, including Faces, a medley of Quien Sabe (from Cuban Fire Suite), La Virgen de la Macarena, and Dr. Macumba, and a medley of Come in from the Rain and Over the Rainbow. The corps' huge rainbow flag, unfolded behind the corps during their show and displayed in the stands afterwards, as well as their closing number, Over the Rainbow, quickly became recognizable Sky Ryders trademarks—popular traditions that continued for several years. In 1983, the Sky Ryders received particular attention performing Kerchner's Grammy-nominated jazz arrangement of Home on the Range. The season started out with a closer of Heart Light from the film "E.T.," but due to pressure from judges and fans, they switched it back to the popular medley of Here's that Rainy Day and Over the Rainbow from previous years. For the second year in a row, the corps placed in DCI's Top 12, this time with a 12th place finish in Miami, Florida. The corps dropped out of DCI Finals in 1984, placing 17th in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1985, the corps had a stronger year with a 15th place finish at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin, performing the first of two productions of "The Wizard of Oz."

Starting in 1986, under the direction of alumnus Dale Antoine and a design team led by Tommy Keenum, the Sky Ryders again entered DCI's Top 12. Over the next three years, they entertained audiences with emotional productions of the popular musicals "The Wizard of Oz," "West Side Story," and "The Sound of Music." Their "Wizard of Oz" show in 1986—significantly improved from the previous year—included elements such as a Wicked Witch on a bicycle, gold lamé "yellow brick road" flags, and colorful guard costumes for the various characters in the film. The show repertoire included recognizable tunes from the musical, such as Ding Dong the Witch is Dead, If I Only Had a Brain, We're Off to See the Wizard, and the corps' traditional closer Over the Rainbow. They finished the year with the corps' highest placement of 9th in Madison.[4]

In 1987, the Sky Ryders fielded another theatrical show in Madison, this one based on the musical "West Side Story." The brass players were divided into all white or all black uniforms while the percussion players were dressed in all gray. The white and black uniforms represented the two rival gangs from the musical—the American Jets and Puerto Rican Sharks. The gray uniforms represented the neutral combination of the two. Marc Sylvester's marching drill cleverly separated the colors for most of the show until the end when they combined in an embrace between pairs of white- and black-uniformed performers. On-field tall black panels and a multi-story scaffolding allowed color guard members to switch between a range of colorful outfits. Visual coordinator Tommy Keenum decided to portray the storyline of Stephen Sondheim's lyrics in addition to the dramatic music of Leonard Bernstein. Several scenes from the musical were portrayed, including the mock courtroom judgment by Officer Krupke, the "rumble" between the rival gangs, and even the tragic deaths of Bernardo and Tony. During the closer, matching striped guard flags filled the field with an explosion of color. In the end, an angelic Tony joined Maria and they ran out of the stadium hand in hand as a mellophone soloist played the final notes of the show facing the back stands. The corps finished the summer in 12th place.[5]

The Sky Ryders returned in 1988 with a show based on "The Sound of Music" by Rodgers and Hammerstein. Similar to previous years, the production was filled with a rainbow of colorful guard costumes, inventive props, and tunes from a popular musical. The show opened with a medley from the musical's Overture, featuring the title song in which Julie Andrews famously sings "the hills are alive with the sound of music." During the song Do-Re-Mi, members of the guard unfurled a large banner with lyrics and jumped up with large prop notes in rhythm to the music to encourage the audience to sing along with the entire corps. During the drum feature The Lonely Goatherd, the snare players juggled a tennis ball along with their drumsticks. The corps played a quick-tempo jazz arrangement of My Favorite Things and finished the show with a medley of Edelweiss, Climb Ev'ry Mountain, and a reprise of previous melodies. Once again, the corps remained in DCI's Top 12 with a placement of 12th in Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium.[6]

The corps switched directions in 1989 with cadet-style uniforms and a darker-themed show, including March (from Symphonic Metamorphosis) and selections from Carmina Burana. The corps finished the season with a Semi Finals tie for 14th place in Kansas City.[3]

1990s – A Final Return to the Top 12

Due to financial difficulties, the corps almost folded in 1990, but fortunately remained active by moving to DeSoto, a suburb of Dallas, Texas. The black uniform pants of 1989 were replaced with white and the corps performed a brighter show including Savannah River Holiday, Wonderful Town, Divertimento for Orchestra, and John Williams' Liberty Fanfare. After the challenging move to Texas, the corps finished the season in 19th place during DCI Semi Finals in Buffalo, New York. In 1991, the Sky Ryders once again placed in DCI's Top 12 with a return to the corps' tradition of popular musicals, this time with Lerner and Loewe's "Camelot." The corps placed 12th in DCI Finals in their new hometown of Dallas. The corps performed another popular Lerner and Loewe musical in 1992 with the Scottish-themed "Brigadoon." Their uniforms were accented with plaid material on the shakos and a matching plaid baldric over one shoulder. During DCI's 20th anniversary in Madison, Wisconsin, the corps placed 15th in Semi Finals. In 1993, the Sky Ryders changed directions to a more contemporary show, including Connotations by Edward Gregson and Symphony No. 2 by David Diamond. The corps finished their last full season of competition in Jackson, Mississippi with a placement of 20th.

Despite scheduled camps for a 1994 season, the corps was finally folded due to continuing financial difficulties and eventual bankruptcy. Thanks to the continued efforts of Texas director Paul Proctor, all of the corps' substantial debt was eventually paid off.[3]

Show Summary (1960 - 1993)

Source: [7]

Pale shaded background indicates DCI Top 12 Finalist.

Year Theme Repertoire Score Placement
1960 Blue Skies (from Alexander's Ragtime Band) by Irving Berlin / Off We Go Into the Wild Blue Yonder by Robert MacArthur Crawford / Over the Rainbow (from The Wizard of Oz) by Harold Arlen; E.Y. Harburg / My Country, 'Tis of Thee by Samuel Francis Smith / Stars and Stripes Forever by John Philip Sousa / Battle Hymn of the Republic by William Steffe / Shangri-La by Charles Bernstein / National Emblem March by Edwin Eugene Bagley / Bye Bye Blues by Fred Hamm; Dave Bennett; Bert Lown; Chauncey Gray
1963 Dear Friends / This Is a Great Country by Irving Berlin / I Am an American by Ira Schuster; Paul Cunningham; Leonard Whiteup / The Doxology by Loys Bourgeois / Temptation by Nacio Herb Brown; Arthur Freed / Land of Milk and Honey / That Was Yesterday / Young and Foolish by Albert Hague; Arnold B. Horwitt
1971 Opening Fanfare / Spanish Rogue by Bob Bunce / Lincoln Portrait by Aaron Copland / Battle Hymn of the Republic by William Steffe / Walk On By by Burt Bacharach; Hal David / The Yard Went on Forever by Jimmy Webb / Freak Out - A Musical Trip / Shenandoah by Frank Skinner
1979 Threshold by Patrick Williams / Here's That Rainy Day by Jimmy Van Heusen; Johnny Burke / Echano (from Children of Sanchez) by Chuck Mangione / Maple Leaf Rag by Scott Joplin / Over the Rainbow (from The Wizard of Oz) by Harold Arlen; E.Y. Harburg 70.850 22nd
1980 Enough is Enough by Laura Branigan / Night Streets by Chick Corea / Here's That Rainy Day by Jimmy Van Heusen; Johnny Burke / Fire Dance by Manuel de Falla / The Storm / Rainbow Connection by Paul Williams; Kenneth Ascher / Over the Rainbow (from The Wizard of Oz) by Harold Arlen; E.Y. Harburg 69.700 17th
1981 Faces by Larry Dunn; Verdine White; Maurice White; Philip Bailey / Night Streets by Chick Corea / Fire Dance by Manuel de Falla / Storm / Here's That Rainy Day by Jimmy Van Heusen; Johnny Burke / Over the Rainbow (from The Wizard of Oz) by Harold Arlen; E.Y. Harburg 77.550 14th
1982 Faces by Larry Dunn; Verdine White; Maurice White; Philip Bailey / Quien Sabe (Who Knows) from Cuban Fire Suite by Johnny Richards / Dr. Macumba by Earl Klugh / La Virgen de la Macarena by Bernardino Bautista Monterde / Come in from the Rain by Melissa Manchester; Carol Bayer Sager / Over the Rainbow (from The Wizard of Oz) by Harold Arlen; E.Y. Harburg 83.100 10th
1983 Home on the Range by Daniel E. Kelley; Brewster M. Higley / Quien Sabe (Who Knows) from Cuban Fire Suite by Johnny Richards / La Virgen de la Macarena by Bernardino Bautista Monterde / Roadrunner / Here's That Rainy Day by Jimmy Van Heusen; Johnny Burke / Over the Rainbow (from The Wizard of Oz) by Harold Arlen; E.Y. Harburg 73.750 12th
1984 Over the Rainbow (from The Wizard of Oz) by Harold Arlen; E.Y. Harburg / Home on the Range by Daniel E. Kelley; Brewster M. Higley / Journey from Mariabronn by Kerry Livgren; Steve Walsh / La Virgen de la Macarena by Bernardino Bautista Monterde / Claire's Song by Russell Ferrante 80.700 17th
1985 Wizard of Oz Highlights Overture / Ding Dong the Witch is Dead / Follow the Yellow Brick Road / If I Only Had a Brain / We're Off to See the Wizard / The Merry Old Land of Oz / Over the Rainbow (all songs by Harold Arlen; E.Y. Harburg) 83.400 15th
1986 Wizard of Oz Highlights Overture / Ding Dong the Witch is Dead / Follow the Yellow Brick Road / If I Only Had a Brain / We're Off to See the Wizard / The Merry Old Land of Oz / Over the Rainbow (all songs by Harold Arlen; E.Y. Harburg) 87.000 9th
1987 Excerpts from West Side Story Prologue / Overture / Gee, Officer Krupke / One Hand, One Heart / The Rumble / Somewhere (all songs by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim) 81.900 12th
1988 The Sound of Music Prelude and The Sound of Music / Overture / Do-Re-Mi / My Favorite Things / The Lonely Goatherd / Edelweiss / Climb Ev'ry Mountain (all songs by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II) 85.100 12th
1989 March (from Symphonic Metamorphosis) by Paul Hindemith / Carmina Burana by Carl Orff 82.200 14th
1990 Savannah River Holiday by Ron Nelson / Wonderful Town by Leonard Bernstein / Divertimento for Orchestra by Leonard Bernstein / Liberty Fanfare by John Williams 75.900 19th
1991 Selections from Camelot Selections from Camelot by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe 82.900 12th
1992 Brigadoon Once in the Highlands / Down on MacConnachy Square / Almost Like Being in Love / Come to Me / The Chase / Brigadoon / Heather on the Hill (all songs by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe) 82.100 15th
1993 Connotations by Edward Gregson / Symphony No. 2, Mvt. 4 by David Diamond 74.300 20th

Notable Alumni

Former members of the Sky Ryders have gone on to achieve notoriety by making significant contributions within the drum corps and winterguard activities. Some alumni have even attained international recognition for their achievements outside the marching arts completely.

  • John Simpson: DCI Hall of Fame Member 2014; brass instructor for Sky Ryders Drum and Bugle Corps[8]
  • Steve Vickers: DCI Hall of Fame Member 2007; publisher of Drum Corps World[9][10]
  • Karl Lowe: WGI Hall of Fame Member 2003; designer for Odyssey and Fantasia Winterguards; designer for Blue Devils, Santa Clara Vanguard, Suncoast Sound, and Magic of Orlando Drum and Bugle Corps[11]
  • Tommy Keenum: Nashville singer/songwriter; designer for The Band Hall; designer for The Cadets, Santa Clara Vanguard, Phantom Regiment, Carolina Crown, and Sky Ryders Drum and Bugle Corps; designer for Lassiter HS, Carmel HS, Center Grove HS, and Pride of Cincinnati Marching Bands; designer for Aimachi Winterguard; designer for Music City Mystique[12]
  • J.D. Shaw: brass arranger/composer for Santa Clara Vanguard, Phantom Regiment, Boston Crusaders, and The Academy drum and bugle corps; former French hornist, arranger, and co-owner for Boston Brass; Associate Professor of Horn at the University of South Carolina[13]
  • Roman Montoya: director for Black Gold Winterguard; choreographer for Waxahachie Color Guard and Winterguard; movement instructor for Santa Clara Vanguard, The Glassmen, and Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps; Director of Bands at Donna Shepard Intermediate School[14]
  • Chad Sexton: drummer for 311

Sky Ryders Alumni Scholarship

In 2011, alumni from the Sky Ryders established an annual scholarship campaign which benefits members of the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps. The Blue Stars were selected because their organization exhibits similar qualities to the way the Sky Ryders operated—they highlight and encourage the idea of everyone in the organization as family. Many Sky Ryders alumni have recently adopted the Blue Stars as their current drum corps to donate to, root for, and volunteer with.[15][16]

References

  1. ^ Drum Corps International
  2. ^ The Drum Corps Repertoire Database - History for Sky Ryders
  3. ^ a b c d e A History of Drum & Bugle Corps, Vol. 2; Steve Vickers, ed.; Drum Corps World, pub.; 2003
  4. ^ Drum Corps International - Download of the Week: 1986 Sky Ryders
  5. ^ Drum Corps International - Download of the Week: 1987 Sky Ryders
  6. ^ Drum Corps International - Spotlight of the Week: 1988 Sky Ryders, 'The Sound of Music'
  7. ^ The Drum Corps Repertoire Database - Song History for Sky Ryders
  8. ^ Drum Corps International - Hall of Fame Members
  9. ^ Drum Corps International - Hall of Fame Members
  10. ^ Drum Corps World
  11. ^ Winter Guard International - Hall of Fame Members
  12. ^ The Band Hall - About Us
  13. ^ Santa Clara Vanguard - J.D. Shaw Joins Vanguard Design Team
  14. ^ North Texas Performing Arts Association - Staff
  15. ^ Drum Corps Planet - Sky Ryders Alumni Scholarship Campaign
  16. ^ Facebook - Sky Ryders Alumni Scholarship



Category:Drum and bugle corps Category:DCI defunct corps Category:Hutchinson, Kansas Category:Musical groups established in 1955

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