Carol Perkins: Playing in the Band

Membership in the Marching was special. Band appearances were memorable, but none still holds more emotional memories than the parade march through Livingston, TN, in 'uniforms' which didn't draw the response expected.-CM

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To read her next previous story click on "To Tan or Not to Tan"

By Carol Perkins

PLAYING IN THE BAND

When I was in elementary school, I joined the band, along with my friends. We had no uniforms and not many instruments. Those of us who wanted to play had to find horns the best way we could, which meant used ones from music stores, pawn shops or in the attics of our relatives.

I played the clarinet. I didn't play it well. In fact, because we didn't have enough music, I played off music for a trumpet. I must have been good at transposing since the notes were different. In truth, I must have been a genius since I barely could read music.


Playing in the band was a social outing. A bus picked us grade school kids up at the old school and took us to the high school (now middle school) where we joined the high school students for band class. We liked that because we felt grown up. Sometimes we were a little too big for our britches.

One time a group of my friends and I decided to walk from the high school back to the grade school instead of riding the shuttle. We were thirteen at most. The other students waved as they passed us while we took our leisurely time ambling back to school.

We ventured into a local grocery store for a soft drink and then headed back to school. Just about the time we reached the front door our principal found us. After a scolding, we trotted toward school with out feet stepping high and him trailing in his car. When you are young, you don't realize the responsibility adults feel for your welfare. We knew we were safe, but he didn't.

We had no uniforms. How can a band march in competition with no uniforms? We improvised.

The band, which included us grade school kids, was going to Livingston, Tennessee to a competition. We based our theme on "The Battle of New Orleans." Someone suggested that because we didn't have uniforms we could dress like hillbillies, Sadie Hawkins style. "Oh, that sounds like fun," we chimed in and immediately started planning our outfits.

Cut offs like Daisy Mae, blouses with elastic around the neck that pulled over the shoulders, guys in overalls and plaid shirts, straw hats like those seen in the TV hit "The Real McCoy's" and most importantly, no shoes is how we outfitted ourselves. We thought we looked good. That was a mistake.

Sometimes the best memories come from the worst mistakes.

When we piled off the bus in Livingston, rather proud of our costumes. Some people stared at us, but we thought they liked what they saw. We thought they thought we were cute. We didn't look cute; we looked like a group of hicks and that was how we were treated that day as we marched through the streets, shoeless and clueless.

We were few in number, maybe twenty or so, but we could form marching rows and do a few moves to the right and left like bands do. We had a couple of clarinets and a few flutes and some trumpets, and one of my best friends on the bass drum. How she managed to carry that huge drum and beat it with the two oversized drumsticks is beyond me, but she did. Bang! Bang! Bang! to the beat of the song. She could barely see over the drum but whammed the daylights out of it.

So we came marching down the street in our Heehaw outfits to a sound we didn't expect. Laughter. I'm telling you the truth. They laughed in our faces. Every other band marched proudly in their uniforms with tassels on their shoulders and military style hats, and then we appeared in our homemade garb.

By the time the day had ended, our feet were numb, swollen, and a few bleeding and bruised from the rocks and hard surface. We should have worn shoes.

Once home and the story told, the school and community came together to buy uniforms. We were so proud of those maroon and white uniforms with the captain's hats. I had to stuff paper in mine to keep it form falling over my eyes. Never again would we feel embarrassed.

We didn't know such terms as 1st chair or 2nd chair. We just had chairs. We didn't all have our own music and I usually played off a friend's book during half-time of the basketball games. She could actually play her clarinet. I ate more reeds from chewing on them than playing on them. They cost a quarter each.

By the time I was a Junior, I put away my clarinet. I don't know why I didn't finish out my high school days playing in the band, but I didn't. I wish I had not quit, but time probably got in the way....and boys.

Every time I see a band performing or practicing, I think of my experiences. Until you have played in the band can you understand how time consuming and rigid the schedule is. The long hours, hot sun, Saturday competitions, plus football games and basketball give a band member little time for any other activity. If you want to know the importance of a band to these activities, let them not show up.

Band members have a unique bond, as do the band boosters, and they will be the first to say how much the band means to them. I admire their dedication and they seldom get the recognition they deserve.

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About the author: Carol (Sullivan) Perkins is a lifelong resident of Edmonton, KY, in Metcalfe County where she taught high school English at Metcalfe County High School until her recent retirement. She is a now a freelance writer. is married to Guy Perkins and they have two children: Carla Green (Mark) of Brentwood, TN and Jon Perkins (Beth) of Austin, TX and six grandchildren. Her latest book, Let's Talk About, is a collection of over 70 of her works, and she is presently working on the second book in this series. Carol's ties to Adair County go back to Breeding where her grandfather, Rufus Reece, and her grandmother Bettie Strange, began their married life and later moved to Metcalfe County. You may contact Carol at cperkins@scrtc.com or write at P.O. Box 134 Edmonton. If you would like a copy of her book, you can order through email. Watch for her next story on Sunday, April 19, 2009.

This story was posted on 2009-04-12 09:56:40

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