WHIP CITY DRUM CORPS

A brief history:

Organized In September 1950 by Jack Kowal of Westfield Massachusetts.

Massachusetts state champions:

1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966,

Connecticut State Champions:

1964, 1967

Northeastern Champions under the name “Silhouettes”:

1957, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967

Thousands of 1st, second and third place awards in individual class competitions.

Competed and performed at Mountain Park of Holyoke Massachusetts and considered it their home base. They hosted several Massachusetts State Meets at this famous amusement park on Mount Tom.

Whip City Drum Corps was a “Combination” corps having both adult professional musicians and student youth members.

Whip City was famed for its horn section which included trumpets and baritone trumpets. They used no flutes or fifes but instead used glockenspiels. The instruments also included snare and bass drums; there were no other band instruments. All this gave them a very unique sound for their day. If you like large horn sections you will appreciate this music.

The color guard under the leadership of Drum Major Bill Smith was one of the most highly awarded guards of their era. They always used real WWI M1 Springfield Rifles, never dummy rifles.

History from rfkak (ebay)