True Story
I am the youngest person ever to perform with an Army band. That and 20 bucks will get me a lap dance.
I was 13 and invited to perform with the 79th Army Band in the Rep. of Panama for a change of command ceramony. At the time Panama was headquaters for the U.S. Southern Command. I was taking lesson on clarinet from one of the members and the band was in need of a bass clarinetist, so I was drafted, so to speak.
At the time it was illegal for U.S. miltary personal to wear their uniforms off base. That was a Panamian law not a U.S. policy. So in order for the band to perfom off base they wore a white quayabeara with the patch of the 193rd Inf brigrad on right breast pocket, black slacks and black shoes. The band was nice enough to give me a shirt to wear for the performance.
So we were all standing around getting ready for the performance when Gen Fred Werner, or as I like to call him General Fred showed up. Everybody around me stopped what they were doing and stood to attention. Everybody except me that is. I just stood there with a goofy grin waving my arm side to side at the elbow. I was words exchanged with General Fred's aide and the aide then scurried off to the Captain in charge of the band.
We did the performance and everything went great. After the Captain came to me and told me that I made quite the impression with the General whom wanted to know who that band member was that needed a haircut. a couple of months later I performed again with the band for a 4th of July concert and got to briefly meet General Fred shook his hand and he told me I did a fine job.
I am the youngest person ever to perform with an Army band. That and 20 bucks will get me a lap dance.
I was 13 and invited to perform with the 79th Army Band in the Rep. of Panama for a change of command ceramony. At the time Panama was headquaters for the U.S. Southern Command. I was taking lesson on clarinet from one of the members and the band was in need of a bass clarinetist, so I was drafted, so to speak.
At the time it was illegal for U.S. miltary personal to wear their uniforms off base. That was a Panamian law not a U.S. policy. So in order for the band to perfom off base they wore a white quayabeara with the patch of the 193rd Inf brigrad on right breast pocket, black slacks and black shoes. The band was nice enough to give me a shirt to wear for the performance.
So we were all standing around getting ready for the performance when Gen Fred Werner, or as I like to call him General Fred showed up. Everybody around me stopped what they were doing and stood to attention. Everybody except me that is. I just stood there with a goofy grin waving my arm side to side at the elbow. I was words exchanged with General Fred's aide and the aide then scurried off to the Captain in charge of the band.
We did the performance and everything went great. After the Captain came to me and told me that I made quite the impression with the General whom wanted to know who that band member was that needed a haircut. a couple of months later I performed again with the band for a 4th of July concert and got to briefly meet General Fred shook his hand and he told me I did a fine job.