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Students

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Bands

Memories

Miscellaneous

7901 Bailey Cove Road
Huntsville, AL 35802
Phone:256.881.1075
Fax: 256.881.1075*
*(Listen to answering message for FAX instructions.)

Directors:
Bill Connell
Theo Vernon

Website maintained by
Melanie Baeske

Grissom Band Alumni Association

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A B C D E F

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Name: Debbie Abel / Debbie Brines
Email: dcvmb@juno.com
Years in Band: 1985-1990
Instrument played: Flute
Personal Info: I am happily married for 4 years. We have a 2 year old son and a 3 year old daughter. I attended San Jose State University studying voice, flute & piano. I have been a professional musician for the last 12 years. I'm currently working as a Music Director for the Diocese of San Jose and loving it!! My husband found a new job up in Kent, Washington (near Seattle) so we will be moving up there soon. I'm looking forward to being a full time mom again and keeping my music career going.
Memory: My very first fondest memory with the band is my first marching competition as a freshman. The part I remember the most is when we did our "horns up"! What a moment and a thrill to be a part of the Grissom High School Band!! This band and it's leaders have helped to shape me and guide me to where I am today! (It's hard to believe I didn't even know how to play my B flat scale when I auditioned for Mr. Vernon). I have so many memories that I couldn't even begin to write down here. There's just too many. Thanks for this webpage so that I can go back and see the piece of Grissom that has been so dear to my heart!!
Updated: 05-09-02

Name: Jason Acosta
Email: acosta@hiwaay.net
Years in Band: 1993-1997
Instrument played: Clarinet
Personal Info: Well I go to UAH. "Uggghhhhh!" The Ice Cream Man - Tru 2 da game.
Memory: The time when Mr. Connell pulled the "you weren't paying attention... tell me what I said for all the money in my hand" skit. I said it and I didn't get the money. Being called by the wrong first name. and seeing my friend get busted for shoplifting at the Daytona trip. ha ha ha what a moron!

Name: Richard Adair
Email: adairr@mindspring.com
Years in Band: 1974-1978
Instrument played: Bass guitar
Personal Info: Graduated in 1978, left for Samford University in Birmingham graduated 1982. Returned to Huntsville in 1985 now working for the Army here at Redstone Arsenel. (love it) System Administrator. I pastor a church in Hampton Cove called "Hampton Cove Church" as well. I miss all the band members everyone from flutes to tubas (front to back we used to say) I ever was in band with. I remember everyone as though it were yesterday. I have a wonderful family, Vanessa my wife (cool blonde chick!) Dustin 11, Joy 9, and Melody 7 as of 2000. All my kids are musically inclined. I forced them, ha! ha!... just kidding! or maybe not. Still play bass guitar, but even more acoustic guitar (Martin D-45)and also accordion, concertina (you know the squeeze thingy the monkey has), banjo, piano, harmonica, bag pipes (well, I've started at least, ha!), oh did i mention I've a quest for violin, but I will. I loved the great help from Mr. Ward and Mr. Sparks. God bless them tremendously. After having left Grissom, I had a perfect ear for pursuing the best in whatever music I found myself around. I can now play piano thanks to Mr. Sparks cramming "music theory" into my head in that impossible course he taught. To think i almost quit it, but he talked me into it as he seemed to do all of us. He could talk us into anything, couldn't he? Special thanks to Mr. Ward who gave his all for us all so we'd know how really good it is to with such excellence. He made me feel like I'm a team member of his choice even though til this day and I've not seen him since 1978.
Memory: oh, it's all great. Don't ge me started. Somebody just tell me where Janine Askins is today and Mary Harkey and Jennifer King. I'm looking for them. The world ain't that big. Anyone with any clues? ha! ha!

Name: Chris Adams
Email: cadams@ro.com
Years in Band: 1987-1990
Instrument played: Trumpet
Personal Info: I'm still in Huntsville (living closer to GHS now than when I was a student!), working at Renaissance Internet Services as a system administrator.
Memory: Moving cars from the senior parking lot for marching practice and always being on the bus that broke down.

Name: Julie Adams (Hinckley)
Email: julie@thehinckleys.com
Years in Band: 1979-1982
Instrument played: Bassoon
Personal Info: Got a scholarship to Florida State Univ. and played one semester in a concert band I didn't even have to try out for when I told them I was a GHS graduate. ;) Hung up the horn and haven't touched a bassoon since. Graduated with a BS in Chemistry (my worst subject) in 1986, and moved to the DC area to be near college friends for a couple of years. Then Huntsville pulled me back and I did a stint as a NASA contractor for Teledyne Brown and the Univ of Alabama at B'ham. Got involved in Huntsville Little Theatre, where I wound up meeting my future husband (Scott Hinckley, Trombone, 1986) at a cast party I crashed.
Moved to Memphis for a very LONG year where I got my first contract job as a technical writer (all those crew procedures for the space shuttle made great practice for that career!). We left Memphis at a run after just over a year and headed out to Seattle, where we have now been for 4.5 years. Love it and wouldn't live anywhere else in the US (but it rains... a LOT). Technical writing at Boeing for 3 years got me involved in web authoring, then finally web mastering. Left technical writing to become a full-fledged webmaster for two hospitals in the area for a little over a year in early 1999. Left them to join a local biotech firm (PathoGenesis) as the intranet webmaster in March 2000.
Scott and I live in an old house in an "old" neighborhood in the heart of Seattle with our 80lb golden chow-mix, Castagir. No kids now; no kids later. Just call me "Auntie Julie" and lemme hand 'em back to you when they're wet or get grumpy.
Hobbies include book collecting, European glass Christmas ornament collecting, traveling internationally, and SCUBA diving in WARM water only (one dive in Puget Sound cured me of the cold water approach).
Still adore live music performances and have very fond memories of the GHS band.
Memory: Incredibly hot Alabama summers spent marching on that back parking lot pavement with Ward and Sparks bellowing from the tower and Sparks periodically destroying his megaphone beating it in accompaniment to his yelling. But getting a chill and goosebumps beneath the sweat, heat, and exhaustion every time we finished a piece and heard it echoing off the hills.
Cramming 300 people into that tiny bandroom on warm days and being amazed at how everyone always managed to move around and create great music under such conditions.
A band playing "Sleigh Ride" at the Christmas concerts.
Being really annoyed when the 1981 album came out and I was listed as 4th chair B band instead of 1st on the back cover.
Six Flaggs - all aspects.
Laughing with glee the first time I heard "Rocky Top;" rocking the whole school when we played "Bud" in the gym (before they banned it).
Ward and Sparks - you guys have your flaws, but you are some of the finest directors any band student ever had the opportunity to learn under. Thanks for insisting we give our all and forging us into such a great music machine.

Name: Lynn Albritton (Wright)
Email: mdw1958@everestkc.net
Years in Band: 1973-1977
Instrument played: alto and bass clarinet
Personal Info: After graduating from Grissom, I went to Peabody College/Vanderbilt University and received my BS in Elementary/Early Childhood education. I then accepted a teaching position in working with inner-city kids in Savannah, Georgia. I refer to this as my "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil years"! The events of the book took place during my 8 years of living and teaching in Savannah. During this time, I met my husband, Mike Wright. His job with Great Dane Trailers has moved us to the Kansas City area. I am blessed with two wonderful children, David and Rebecca and work part-time. I still miss the South (especially during the winters) and recently became a Southern Living at HOME consultant. I consider myself a prime example of the Southerner with a "Huntsville" accent and a witness to the midwest of the advantages of being Southern! My website is www.southernlivingathome.com/wrightathome
Memory: Gosh, I have so many wonderful memories, but the most recent had to be the great reunion of all the Ward/Sparks years. Being in the band taught me so many lessons about friendship, hard-work and belonging to something bigger. I am still playing music in a bell-choir. (if you miss your band fix...try bells they are addictive!)
Updated: 02-10-03

Name: Kerri Allen
Email: onehorsefan@earthlink.net
Years in Band: 1992- 1996
Instrument played: Color Guard/ French Horn
Personal Info: WELL! I am a 1999 grad of Snead State Comm. College in Boaz, AL ( yes Boaz has more than outlet malls ). I received a degree in Veterinary Technology. I am now working for a Vet in Madison, AL.
Memory: Where should I start!? I guess the beginning. Well band started out great for me. I had made rifle team and all was going well till I broke my arm at rookie band camp. Thanks again Mr. Connell for sitting with me in the dirt till my mom come to get me. I have to say that every time I was a around guard or band in general was when I was most happy. Soph. Marching season was wonderful. We kicked butt in GA. Jr. year Marching season sucked we just could not get our acted together. Sr. year was the best I loved the show we did and everyone that made it happen. I will always love the look on Mr. Vernon face when the guard got off the bus in Homewood, AL with glitter all over our faces and asking him if he liked it. Thank God he said yes because we would have had a time getting it off. I remember 6am practices with guard, (I never really woke up completely while I was at them). Stan, on the tower with his umbrella changing our coordinates for the 5th time that week. While singing "Hurry, Hurry, Hurry here comes Curry" He never could get the Cook's pest control song right. I remember when Mr. Connell would say lets start at the beginning, after he had made us do a run through of the whole show. I hated those words because that meant I had to find where I had laid down all my flags and rifle. I loved Soph. year music Timestorm rocked. Thanks Mr. Vernon for letting us play it. I loved all my band trips. I have to say though New Orleans was the best my Sr. year. I think that Band was and always will be the best part of my high school years. Thanks for all the memories everyone. Class of 1996 I miss you all. Write me sometime.

Name: Kristopher "Alamo" Al-Mahasneh
Email: mahasnehal@msn.com
Years in Band: 1994- 1999
Instrument played: Tuba
Personal Info: Still living in Huntsville. Currently working at Cinram. My life is rather boring. I work about 60 hours a week. So I guess I do it to myself, but hey, nothing else to do in this city. Like I just said, I do not do much besides work since I have lost contact with friends so if you remember me, email me and we can talk about the wonderful days of band!
Memory: What was NOT good memory in the band? My freshman year have Joel Mason create a dance while saying my last name. Sophomore year I honestly do not remember too much! Junior year I remember but too many to list. 1st AND 2nd Senior years were great too. Wish I skipped more classes my 2nd Sr. year like I did my 1st Sr. year so I could have been in the band ANOTHER year......although Connell and Vernon probably didn't want me there for another year. BTW Connell, I am still waiting for my money you owed me from my junior year from that "I will give you all the money I have in my pocket if you tell me everything I just said" statement! Just because it looks like I am not paying attention and talking doesn't mean I don't know! hahahahaha I do miss the band, it was the only reason I even showed up to school, why else would I have had 3 Band classes my 2nd Sr. year? To bad I couldn't have had more, it would have been great to live in the bandroom!

Name: Stephen Anfield
Email: stephenanfield@att.net
Years in Band: 1995-1999
Instrument played: Bassoon/Drum Major
Personal Info: I try to update this thing whenever I think about it, and it looks as if it has been a few years since the last update. Since then, I've graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in speech communication. I've relocated to the northern VA / Washington, D.C. area and will begin teaching in DC area schools through AmeriCorps. If you're ever up this way, be sure to contact me!
Memory: The trips were by far the best thing about band. I mean, yeah... band was about music, but the times that I laughed the most were on band trips. Thanks to all of the friends I have made along the way. Believe it or not, I haven't forgotten any of you. Please drop me an e-mail and tell me what's up. If you're ever in northern VA / Washington, D.C. area, look me up and give me a call.

Name: Patrick Anson
Email: soldierboy75@hotmail.com
Years in Band: 1992-1996
Instrument played: Trumpet
Personal Info: To anyone who made read this....I am currently starting my third year of a four-year enlistment in the Army. It has not been what I expected at all. Don't believe any of those commercials that you may come upon...you know, those "Be ALL You Can Be" ones? All of this came after 1 1/2 yrs at UNA. Wasn't really ready to continue on with school at that time. Have been deployed to Egypt for 6 months and will probably go overseas again before I get out. Get out in Jan. 2002. Plan to go back to school and major in sports medicine when my service in the Army is over.
Memory: Fondest memories? Tough question, but I will always remember Mr. Connell and the "jump on the hood" incident. The band trips....contests....Chicago was fun in '94 at Bands of America...those breathing bags....it was fun while it lasted....to all my friends...keep it real...

Name: Tim Anson
Email: tja2@ra.msstate.edu
Years in Band: 1992-1996
Instrument played: Trombone
Personal Info: I am currently studying architecture at Mississippi State University. I've worked this past summer at Hobby Lobby, but am hoping to get an internship next summer, probably here in Huntsville.
Memory: Of course the trips to New Orleans and Chicago were fun, but I will always remember one day during after-school marching practice when Mr. Connell jumped on top of a car because it was trying to pull out of the parking lot and almost hit some band students who were standing at attention. The bus trips were always fun, too.

Name: Patrick Anson
Email: soldierboy75@hotmail.com
Years in Band: 1992-1996
Instrument played: Trumpet
Personal Info: After high school, I went to college for a year and a half without once knowing what I wanted to do. And if it hadn't been for all the friends I made and all the fun we had, I would probably still be there today. As for my life now, I have since joined the Army and will be getting out January of 2002. I probably wish that I had done this sooner. I'm having a lot of fun and am looking forward to going to Egypt in Jan. 1999. As for my status, I have been engaged for almost 5 months.
Memory: I have many fond memories from being in the band. Number one would have to be Mr. Connell jumping on the hood of the car one afternoon after school. I know the guy in that car must've crapped in his pants. For all the mornings we sat outside the band room waiting for Mr. Vernon to open the doors. Instrumental ensemble: that class was a sleep period. I highly recommend it. Also, the Chicago trip in 1994 was awesome. Hey Raj, remember that fight we got into? Then there was the time when we were going to New Orleans and Dan K. game in stoned as hell and told Mr. Vernon that he didn't feel good. He was always "Cooked." There are too many memories that I have from those years in the band. All my friends, Raj, Tim, David, Dave, Jeff, Greg, Mike, Brainfart (wait , he wasn't a friend, just a nuisance), and so many others. It was fun while it lasted. Oh yeah, I also remember those d*mn breathing bags!! We looked so stupid. Every other band must've thought that we looked retarded. Well, that's all I have to say about that!!!!!

Name: Carrie Pierce Archambault
Email: domgoddessga@hotmail.com
Years in Band: 1991-1994
Instrument played: Flute, Piccolo & Drumline
Personal Info: 05/29/04-Needed to update! My husband, Derek, and I have been married over 8 years now. We have four beautiful children: William 6, Sara 4, Laura 2 and Michael 1. We have outgrown our first house and are in the process of moving to a bigger one, still in Metro Atlanta and loving it. I teach lessons at home, direct the choir at church and work out at the gym in desperation to get rid of the baby weight! My goals in life are to raise happy, healthy, musical children, travel the world, grow old with the best husband ever and have my own kelon marimba and baby grand (not necessarily in that order). I would love to hear how everyone is doing so drop me a line!
Memory: So many memories...like, Not having to use a breathing bag during marching season thanks to drumline. Playing in the orchestra for the musicals. Lugging pounds of percussion equipment through England and France when up until two weeks before I was going to play piccolo. Getting snowed in the Heart of Auburn Hotel! But mostly it's the call of the applause. Really great applause, a standing ovation, it just doesn't get much better than that. Thanks to Mr. Connell, Mr. Vernon and all the talented people I had the privilege to play with that made that happen, many times over.

Name: Anne Williams Armantrout
Email: Anne.Armantrout@worldnet.att.net
Years in Band: 1977-1981
Instrument played: Flute
Personal Info: I am now living in South Alabama after spending 6+ years in East Tennessee and 5 years in Southeast Texas. I am a chemical engineer for DuPont working as a process engineer on a design team for a new production facility. My husband, Jesse Armantrout, is an electrical engineer doing instrumentation work for Degussa (a German Chemical company). Our home is in Spanish Fort, AL, (considered the Eastern Shore of the Mobile Bay and part of Balwin County). Our companies are located in Mobile County, Degussa to the south of Mobile city and DuPont to the north. We have no children but are kept on schedule by a dog and a cat.
Memory: My fondest memories are the soaring feelings of pride and accomplishment experienced as the last note dies away at the end of superiorly executed marching band show or concert band performance.

Name: Deanna Augsburger
Email: Deanna.Augsburger@msfc.nasa.gov
Years in Band: 1988-1991
Instrument played: Oboe/ English Horn/ Flute
Personal Info: February 2000 - this is an update on a previous entry; changed to Chemical Engineering at UAH; currently working with UAH in Space Sciences at Marshall Space Flight Center(2000)
Memory: Playing great music; making good friends

Name: Anne Austin
Email: AStick7910@aol.com
Years in Band: 1969-1971
Instrument played: Clarinet-always 3rd!
Personal Info: I missed my senior year- we moved to New Jersey. My best memory from that year I was gone was a band member coming back from a competition, saying "we got beat out of first by a band from Alabama- Grissom!" I now teach special Ed., graduated from U of A Tuscaloosa, and seem to have stuck here in T-town. Married , 2 kids. Married name - Stickney.
Memory: -the time we went to state and three people got left behind. The state troopers pulled us over north of Birmingham, and we had to wait while a CAB brought these kids all the way from Tuscaloosa. Can't remember who it was- Jeanne Denoon, Charles Wood, and one other, maybe?
-throwing Mr. Ward into the pool after Six Flags, Karan Smith screaming "No, I'll lose my contact lens, don't throw me in"
-the drum majors telling us not to lock our knees during those hot, hot, hot practice days, so we wouldn't pass out on the field.
-Bill Witherow marching through a game with a hot dog stuck inside the top of those cheap shag rug looking shako helmets.
-Mr.Ward breaking/throwing his baton on an almost daily basis.
-Playing for the student body in the gym. It was hot, Mr. Ward had beads of sweat rolling down his face. He was nervous, and started us at about TWICE normal tempo for the William Tell overture- but we got through it, somehow.

Name: Michael Aycock
Email: m.l.aycock@mindspring.com
Years in Band: 1980-84
Instrument played: Trombone
Personal Info: I am currently a high school band director in the Birmingham area and teach applied trombone at Samford. I have also helped them with a music ed course, played in the faculty brass quintet and directed the trombone choir.
When I graduated from GHS, I went to the University of Alabama for a year. Then I transferred to Tennessee and worked with Mr. Sparks for 3 more years. He was the assistant while I was there. During my time at UT, I married Lynell McMahan(piano player for the GHS band in 1983). I received a BS in Music Ed. Lynell graduated with a piano performance degree from Alabama. She still plays at church and occasionally accompanies. She won't say it, but I think she is a great player. I know I married up and am grateful. With Lynell in tow, I went to University of Illinois and got an MS in Music Ed. That led me to a job in Huntsville for a few years. I was the band director at Westlawn Middle School. Dr. Pinckley was my principal. She was great to work for--really. Then we moved to Birmingham where we still live. We have 3 great kids, Rebecca(10), William(6) and David(4).
I see Mr. Spraks every now and then. He sold me 2 cars. He is doing well. On rare occasions I run into Steve West. He is pastoring a new church in the Birmingham area.
I hope this catches you up. I would love to hear form old friends. Drop me an E-mail.
Memory: I have so many memories that I can not decide. I would like to say that I now know from being in the profession that what we did in band is still talked about today. Our recordings are available at national conventions. Our accomplishments are still respected. It was so cool to go to Illinois and have them curious to know "what was it like to go to a school like Grissom and play in a band like that." I count many of my high school band experiences as equal to or greater than many things I participated in in college. I hope I can pass on great experiences like these to the kids I teach.
You'll be glad to know that Grissom is still a unique and great band. The tradition is not dead. The current band and directors are doing a great job.

Name: Mark L. Azar (Seary)
Email: mseary@juno.com - mseary@hsv.k12.al.us
Years in Band: 1979-1982
Instrument played: Tenor and Baritone Sax
Personal Info: After graduation, I worked for my parents in their business for 8 years. My parents retired and I moved on. I finally attended college and began teaching school in 1995. I teach at Davis Hills Middle School here in Huntsville, and at the Seldon Educational Progress Center. I am also adult ed. director at the Pathfinder, a halfway house sponsored by United Way. I Married Ellen Little in 1988, and have two beautiful daughters, Morgan, 8, and Katie, 4. Pets are the kid's life, having a three legged Jack Russel Terrier, a Persian Cat, a rabbit, two hamsters and a Chilean Rose Hair Tarrantula. Teaching school has kind of been some sort of payback I suppose, for all the hell I gave my teachers, Ward and Sparks included.
Memory: Memories are hard, there are just so many! Poker chips, flashcubes, standing in the sun for hours it seemed, horns UP!! Band trips, concerts and of course half-time shows. Jeff Lindner, Lloyd Lowe and others loading mobile sound equipment on the bus for OUR use. Guys, remember grandpa? Tapping into the bus electrical system when the power on the gel-cells was dropping (ZZZOOOOOOSH!) My first hangover. Bus sheets, chaperones, room checks, Mr. Jordan. There is just too much to mention! See you all in 2000! Call me H-533-4016 W-851-4110

B

Name: Michael Baek
Email: thirdchild@juno.com
Years in Band: 1993-1996
Instrument played: Trumpet/Jazz band/PHS/HFLD
Personal Info: Marketing Major at UAH (University at Home) . "Fast living got me trapped in this street gang...before I die hope I have the chance to make a change" -Master P (The Ice Cream Man) Peace to all my No limit soldiers!

Name: Laura Baker
Email: iggie100@aol.com
Years in Band: 1995-1996
Instrument played: Clarinet
Personal Info: Hey!!! l'll bet none of you remembers me...Probably because l was in the "D" band...and pretty quiet...oh well...I'm at HHS now...c/o '99....still playin in the band...l'll let you know if l ever graduate...
Memory: Uhhhh...there was that one time when Mr. Connell though it would be fun to throw toilet paper around like a football....and the several times we compared height to see just who was taller ( l think he always won though)....

Name: Kristin Bakkegard
Email: bakkeka@mail.auburn.edu
Years in Band: 1980-1984
Instrument played: Trumpet

Name: Patricia (Patty) Stevenson Baldwin
Email: nannys@hiwaay.net
Years in Band: 1974-1978
Instrument played: Clarinet
Personal Info: I still live here in Huntsville. I married Curtiss Baldwin, also of Huntsville, 17 years ago. We have two girls, Christen (16 yrs.) and Courtney (14 yrs.). They both attend Westminster Christian Academy. Courtney took up playing my old clarinet and was involved in the band for 3 years at Westminster then started playing volleyball. Christen was never in the band but was in all the other school activities including volleyball also. I worked on Redstone Arsenal for almost 12 years as a Secretary/Office Manager before resigning 7 years ago to work my husband in his business. He started Nanny's Old Fashion Lemonade 14 years ago, but up until that time worked for the Government as a contractor. My mom and dad, Fred and Chris Stevenson, still on Jones Valley Dr. Dad retired in 1978, just before we graduated, and they both have been traveling and enjoying life.
Memory: Hot summer practices and that back parking lot. Band competitions, football games, those dreaded hot uniforms and hats, Six Flags, road trips, getting out of school early, and the concerts. Never knowing if we were going to take the Gadsden Buses. Oh, I almost forgot...the megaphone with Dave and Jim on the other end. But most of all....friends and good times!!!!!!!!

Name: Clay Bandy
Email: bandyc@mscd.edu
Years in Band: 1976-1979
Instrument played: Trombone
Personal Info: I work for a 4th Gl computer language company and am finishing up my Master's degree in Computer Science. I will be getting married in May of 2000 and plan a honeymoon to Paris France.
Memory: My fondest memories are of the road trips. And the football and basketball games.

Name: William (Billy) Bargetzi
Email: wbargetzi@knology.net
Years in Band: 1983-1987
Instrument played: Trombone
Personal Info: I'm back in Huntsville- after years out on the road, playing in nightclubs, living on buses and cruise ships, it's good to be back. Check out my website at www.knology.net/~wbargetzi/hi.htm
Memory: The kid on the motorcycle was fun, the Dogwood Arts Jazz Festival, and the time Mr. Rich kicked me out of band rehearsal for doing what he asked me to do, after which Robert Watkins stood up and asked "How come HE gets to go home early??

Name: Mark Barnett
Email: mbarnett34@mindspring.com
Years in Band: 1980 - 1984
Instrument played: Baritone
Personal Info: Am currently (3/18/99) having a great time managing trade show/museum exhibit construction and services with a little firm here in Salt Lake City Utah. Shortly I'll be leaving this place and seek my fortune in Austin Texas and start a life with my girl-friend of (7) years, Elizabeth Colvin. (As you can tell, it's a long story) Anybody know of businesses in Texas's capitol in need of someone with design and project mgmt skills? Anyhow, I'm still making joyful (low-brass like) noises with what-ever community/church ensembles I can turn up. Just finished up a turn with the Wasatch Symphony Orchestra. (Great strings, the bassoons need a little work tho.) Drop me a line, I'd like to see if I'm the only one who hasn't quite grown out of that "(fill-in-the-blank)" time of their life
Memory: Let's see; there are so many of them.
Marching/stomping in the mud at the marching band competition down at Emma Sampson in the fall of '80.
Performing that Holst's Suite in E-flat (?) solo at the Grand Ol' Opry (in 82?)when the "A" band came in 2nd and we (in "B" band) were all traumatized because of it.
Cherry Blossom Festival, Washington DC, Smithsonian, diesel fumes, all-night bus ride, beautiful performance hall, bad acoustics, diesel fumes....
Still having to recognize that I'll never be as good Bill Stonecypher with a euphonium.

Name: Russell T. Barr
Email: rbarr@net-master.net
Years in Band: 1971-1974
Instrument played: Trombone
Personal Info: Anyone in the Decatur. AL area interested in forming a brass group (quintet?) please email me.

Name: Joe Barton
Email: joegretchen@mindspring.com
Years in Band: 1974-1978
Instrument played: Tuba
Personal Info: I married Gretchen last year. I have 3 children from my first marriage Jennifer,15 Ashley, 6 and Crystal, 4. I also have a stepdaughter Danielle, 13, who plays Flute in her middle school Band. I am a supervisor in Jet Aircraft Maintenance at Stevens Aviation in Greenville, SC. Gretchen is employed with BlueCross-BlueShield of South Carolina.
Memory: Too many to list. Six Flags contest, Freezing in the stands at Walker County High School then being served ice-cold cokes by their band parents after halftime, marching band contests, and of course Ward And Sparks!

Name: Heather (Trent ) Beers
Email: GoodBeers4@kc.rr.com
Years in Band: 1979-1982
Instrument played: flute
Personal Info: Married 19 years to Dennis. We have 2 kids, a dog and 2 cats. We've lived in Alabama, Louisville, KY, Deputy, IN, Summerville, SC (Charleston area), Bowling Green, KY (home of the corvette!) and now live in the Kansas City area. Don't play the flute anymore (didn't play it much when I was in the band!) but still have great memories of being in band. :)

Name: Carl F. Behr
Email: cfbehr21@netscape.net
Years in Band: 1981-1983
Instrument played: Tenor Saxophone
Personal Info: I am working at Boeing as a Software Engineer but would like to start working as an NT Administrator again. Anyone have any leads for a job?
Memory: "Carl, bring me my paddle..." Mr. Sparks. Hefty Trash Bag Uniforms. Famous running orange colored uniforms. "Are you Guys coming to jazz band today?" Mr. Rich.

Name: Pam Bell (Crum)
Email: pambell@cableone.net
Years in Band: 1970-1972
Instrument played: Flag Corp
Personal Info: Howdy ya'll, I hope everything is going alright with everyone. Sorry I couldn't make the reunion. I now live in Prescott, Arizona. We've been here just a little over a year. My dad died my 2nd year in college; therefore, I had to return home and start working. I worked at W.V.O.V. radio station for 4 years and fell into being the Music Director. It was a great experience. The trade magazines gave me a nickname of "Golden Ears", due to the fact I had an ability to pick songs that ended up going gold. From that experience I got a job as a Record Promoter working in Beverly Hills, Ca. My area was the secondary markets from N.Y. and all of the south. (Secondary markets are smaller cities, which is where all music has to be proven before it's ever to a play list in major markets; due to the fact that commercial air time is so expensive there.) Anyhow, I did that for a while traveled and loved. Then I got into computers and started working for engineers! and the last job I had was working for Boeing on the International Space Station. The job I had was fascinating and I traveled even more. There is no blueprint for the station so I traveled to various sites making sure that each part would accurately fit to the next segment. The first time any of these pieces will be connected will be in space. Kinda of a bad time to find out if the connections don't work. I'm married to a wonderful man, Jerry, he played the trumpet in his high school. I have one son, Nick, he's 14, 6'2", brown hair and is absolutely the best thing I have ever been a part of. Even if he is mine he is awesome. I also have 2 extremely spoiled dogs. A beagle and an Australian Shepard/lab mix; sneakers and jasmine. I love them dearly. My husband complains that I pay to much attention on them, but if he wagged his tail as much as they do, he just might get a little more attention.
Memory: Just being part of the greatest playing band. Tiger Rag without a doubt is a classic and the way Mr. Ward has his band play it will send chills down your spine. The people were really the best, and no one can compare to Mr. Ward.

Name: Andrew Bennett
Email: abmckean@advicom.net
Years in Band: 4
Instrument played: Tuba
Memory: Getting thrown out.

Name: Chad Bennefield
Email: chad@interconnectsys.net
Years in Band: 1990-1990
Instrument played: Trumpet
Personal Info: I have absolutely nothing to do with music, other than watching my brother at football games in Tuscaloosa. I married Kelly Blackwell, from Louisiana, in October, 1997. We live in Madison and are expecting a baby boy in December of 2000. He will add to our family of 2 dogs, Annie & Hornet, and 3 cats, Scarlett, Tigger and Mishka. Kelly stays at home and is a Domestic Engineer, and after a stint in the Army, I am the Manager of Server Technology for Interconnect Systems Corporation, a telecommunications company in Huntsville, Alabama.
Memory: "One time at BandCamp........"

Name: Troy Bennefield
Email: TBenny@aol.com
Years in Band: 1993-1997
Instrument played: Percussion (Marching, Concert, Jazz)
Personal Info: I'm a Music Ed. major at the University of Alabama, marching snare in the Million Dollar Band, Principal percussionist in the Alabama Wind Ensemble, drum set player for the men's basketball pep band, and loving every minute of it!!!
Memory: The Austria trip before my senior year, and the Chicago trip my freshman year.

Name: Emily Bishop
Email: Bishoej@auburn.edu
Years in Band: 1996-2000
Instrument played: Flute/piccolo and 1999-2000 band captain
Personal Info: I am at Auburn University and loving every minute of it! I play in the marching band here as well and have a great time. After a huge debate about what to do with the rest of my life, I have decided to major in Psychology with a minor in Social Work and go on to work work with children (but we'll just have to see) I miss you all. :-)
Memory: Aside from that dumb fence accident I had my freshman year...(lol, you remember that don't you???)
My happiest memories are chillin' with my flute girlies at Taco Bell, joking with Dave Brown about being the 'band gophers' (go for this and go for that), and having fun with everyone in the stands and during half time. :-) The GHS band will always be in my heart. It has made me a stronger individual and shown me the results of hard work and dedication. I thank this organization for teaching me those little things that are so important. I will never forget it.

Name: Joel Blackstock
Email: joel@wba-architects.com
Years in Band: 1970 - 1973
Instrument played: Trumpet
Personal Info: I graduated from Auburn with an Architecture degree in 1980. I moved to Birmingham where I apprenticed for an architect and now have my own architectural firm. I married Laura in 1983, and have two children Grace 8 and Joel Jr. 13.
Memory: I have fond memories of marching in hot sun in band parking lot. Taking the bus to Atlanta for marching band competition. Fooling around during band practice with Jim Jernigan and Marty Johnson.

Name: Don Blakeney
Email: donald.blakeney@hotmail.com
Years in Band: 1996-1999
Instrument played: Trombone
Personal Info: -Bachelor of Music in Church Music (University of Mobile 2004)
-Master of Arts in Church Music (Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary 2008)
-Engaged to be married on Oct. 6 in Chattanooga, TN
-Minister of Worship (Bunn Baptist Church/Bunn, NC)

Name: Kim Friddle Blasingame
Email: kim@eclecticgroup.com
Years in Band: 1976-1980
Instrument played: French Horn/Flag Corps
Memory: Flag Corps - making up our own songs. Mr. Ward and Sparks on the stand that sat in the field, screaming on their megaphones. HAHA

Name: Amanda Kindred Bolin
Email: amanda.bolin@adtran.com
Years in Band: 1997-2001
Instrument played: Flute/Piccolo
Personal Info: I got married to Anthony Bolin in August 2004 and then I graduated from Mississippi State in December 2004 with a degree in Accounting. GO DAWGS!!! Then in March 2005 we had a little girl named Summer Marie and now she is walking and talking and telling everyone how it is. We have now moved back to Huntsville, Anthony and I have both found jobs here. I am working at Adtran in the accounting department and Anthony is working at International Paper.
Memory: I would have to say that my fondest memory in band was the 1999 Macy's Thanksgiving Parade that we got to go to my junior year.
 

Name: David Boling
Email: daveboling@uilleannpiper.com  
Years in Band: 1974-1978
Instrument played: Bass Clarinet
Personal Info: Still living in Huntsville. Married since 1989. Two kids Chris (tuba player at Grissom, and Anna. Professional Engineer (Electrical) in Huntsville since 1985. Picked up playing other woodwind instruments and doubled in touring Broadway shows and some local productions. Started playing Irish traditional music on the tin whistle in ~1982, and started playing the Uilleann (Irish) bagpipes (think Braveheart/Titanic/Riverdance) in 2000.
Memory: Six Flags trips (especially 1978 riding with Joey Barton in his pristine '67 GTO). All-state band trips, and many fond memories of the great people who were in the band. Dave Ward's philosophy of working something out to the last detail.
 

Name: Preston Bonner
Email: prestonandjenniferb@netzero.net
Years in Band: 1991-1995
Instrument played: Trombone
Personal Info: married to wife, Jennifer, October 6, 2001, one son, Logan, born November 13, 2002
Memory: Too many to list. Thanks for everything Mr. Vernon and Mr. Connell.

Name: Eric Bourne
Email: eric.bourne@sprint.com
Years in Band:  1990-2004
Instrument played:  Tuba
Personal Info:  7-17-09 After graduating Grissom HS in 94' I went on to Jacksonville State where I majored in Finance and minored in Economics.  One summer at JSU I sublet my apartment to someone I am sure that most of you from that era remember - Joel Schendel.  Joel, I miss you man but I also miss the $50 I lost for the damage deposit (JK).  Anyway, after graduating JSU I married the girl I started dating just before my senior hs year - Colleen.  We now live in the Birmingham area and have two awesome (and busy) boys.  The oldest (Evan) is age 4 and the youngest (Whitaker) is 18 months - - watch out Connel and Vernon, they are coming for you!
Memory:  My gosh where do I start???  In fact, I had forgotten about some of the things until I read them on some of your profiles.  Of course there are the band trips!  There is nothing like spending 24 hrs on a buss ride to Virginia Beach only to have a 26 hr buss ride on the way back.  Chicago was a blast.  I still laugh to myself when I remember the look on Vernon's face when he saw me go whizzing by in a taxi cab (with my tuba) only to go one block to the concert hall where were about to perform.  Man there are too many events and people to list off here but I hope to see updates from everyone from time to time.

Name: Lisa Landwehr Bowen
Email: MdeBlue@aol.com
Years in Band: 1977-1980
Instrument played: Clarinet/Flags
Personal Info: Hmmm. Ok - I married Roy Bowen (trumpet '78) and we have 2 BEAUTIFUL kids (IMHO), Trey (8) and Jennifer (3). I'm currently working as an instructor at UAH in the CS department which allows me to work on my PhD.
Memory: Road trips. Winning competitions. Well, I could go on and on.....

Name: Mindy Bradford
Email: mhanan@alabamabankers.org
Years in Band: 1980-1982
Instrument played: French Horn
Personal Info: I left Grissom after the death of my father in 1982. I graduated from Arab High School. I went to Auburn and got a degree in finance. I then went on to finish law school. Currently, I am Counsel/Director of Governmental Relations for the Alabama Bankers Association in Montgomery. I am married to Ellis Hanan, an attorney from Montgomery. We have a daughter Amelia who is three years old.
Memory: Lots of time spent practicing and lots of good friends.

Name: Lisa Brantley
Email: Appleton@aol.com
Years in Band: 1989-1993
Instrument played: Trombone/Flag Corps
Personal Info: I married Chris Appleton December 16, 1995 and have finally landed back close to home in Birmingham after living in Memphis, TN and Mobile. We have one beautiful and immensely talented daughter named Sadie.
Memory: ***I AM AN ENOS!!!!!!!!
***Sharing time with my Buds, who I miss terribly.

Name: Brett Brewster
Email: jbb9269@comcast.net
Years in Band: 1992-1996
Instrument played: Trombone/Drum Major
Personal Info: Living here in Huntsvegas. Went to UNA and graduated with a degree in Business Management. Now I'm a Financial Services Rep at MetLife. Married to Elizabeth Dean (Brewster) for 5 years, with a son, Wheeler Brewster. Think of all these memories often. This band was like no other. Mr. Connell and Mr. Vernon were definitely the two biggest teaching influences in my school career.
Memory: One of the fondest is Mr. Connell yelling at me down from the tower when I was a Drum Major... "How many counts in this measure Drum Major?!?! I forgot Mr. Connell. That's just great he replied. A dumb as* up here directing the band." That is GREAT stuff!! LOL Some of you will remember this... 'The band is good it can do no wrong" Man, those were the days

Name: Ed Briscoe
Email: zed@briscoe.org
Years in Band: 1986-1990
Instrument played: T-bone
Personal Info: I am in my first year in the MBA program at Vanderbilt University in lovely Nashville, Tennessee. I was a banker for awhile in
Birmingham after graduating from Samford, but I got terribly bored and decided that the student life would be grand. So far, I have been right. I hope
to do work in economic development - micro-lending or venture philanthropy - something nifty like that.
Memory: My fondest memories primarily center around the wit of Robert Simpson Brown, III. Things like -"two hands and a road map", "dorkapedic
shoes", and "I guess were not going are we?". The other good memories mostly happened while getting out of things for truck crew.

Name: Sarah M. Britt
Email: sbritt112@hotmail.com
Years in Band: 1992-1996
Instrument played: Flute, A Band (Symphonic I Band)
Personal Info: Wow...it took me this long to find this?? Crazy! I will soon be changing my name to Sarah Crass as I am getting married in September! I am living in Seattle, Washington, and I am doing clinical research at the Veterans Administration on Beacon Hill. All is well and life is keeping me pretty busy...my latest passion in life is participating in triathlons. I have done a few sprints and I am training for my first Olympic distance triathlon.
I still manage to pick up my flute from time to time although my friends and family tell me I play too seldom still! I should work on that! I look forward to seeing who is on this as soon as I am done setting up my form!
Memory: Too many to count! I am so proud to be a band nerd...I still laugh at how arrogant we really were and I am not apologetic because the Grissom band is unmatched!
I have to say I loved being flute captain during hell week...we stayed up for hours trying to think of silly ways to keep our 35 flute girls entertained and still kept in line! The band trips were the best...Chicago, New Orleans, Disney World...good times! I know I took the skills we unknowingly learned during these times through college and I use them today in everyday life. Hey...if we learned anything, we learned how to "Win Friends and Influence People" without getting "Hit by a 'SMACK' truck".
See...Good times!

Name: David Brown
Email: dcbrown@alumni.gwu.edu
Years in Band: 1997-2000
Instrument played: Bassoon/Tenor Sax
Personal Info: Graduated from the George Washington University in 2003 with a degree in International Affairs. Currently working and living in Washington, DC.

Name: Don Brown
Email: Dbrown7042@aol.com
Years in Band: 1994-1998
Instrument played: Percussion
Personal Info: I'm at LSU on a music scholarship even though ironically I'm not majoring in music. I'm a junior (as of Nov. 2000) majoring in International Trade and Finance. Katherine and I will be married in a year (finally) and Sarah is already three years old.
Memory: Sneaking off to Bourbon Street in New Orleans...ditching the chaperones and sneaking around the ghetto of Chicago talking to bums and buying cigars...sneaking into the pool at night in Orlando.....getting kicked out...getting back in....getting kicked out...well you get the point. Being drum captain was fun and educational. Many thanks to Lee for getting this alumni thing started.

Name: Lee C. (Bishop) Brown
Email: rlblcb@aol.com
Years in Band: 1978-1981
Instrument played: Trombone
Personal Info: Married, one child, age 5 (Caleb Lee), BA English Literature (MTSU). I live on a semi-working farm out in the "sticks" as my mother calls it, where I raise show dogs (Boston Terriers). After a 5 year stint in the Christian publishing industry I now do freelance work from my home. I occasionally sell real estate, do a little dowsing, work on yet another book.

Name: Andrea Brunty
Email: acb1451@aol.com
Years in Band: 1996-2000
Instrument played: Color guard/Trombone
Personal Info: I'm majoring in Journalism at the University of Alabama. Roll
Tide!! I'm on guard in the Million Dollar Band. I also marched guard with
Spirit Drum and Bugle Corps (2001) and I'm planning to march with Centerstage
Winter Guard next year.
Memory: I'm so thankful to have met my best friend in band. I don't know
where I would be without her. She made me try out for guard and because of
that I had the greatest times with some of my best friends. Without the
Grissom band, I would have never found my passion and experienced the things
that I have. For that I am truly grateful.

Name: Angela Buckner
Email: anbucks@gmail.com
Years in Band: 1998 - 2002
Instrument played: Saxophone

Name: Jeff Budge
Email: jbudge@tds.net
Years in Band: 1982 - 1986
Instrument played: Euphonium
Personal Info: Went to UT and played with Bo Rist, Mike Aycock, Sara Smith, the Lechners, etc, etc at UT with Sparks. Graduated in 1991 in Electrical Engineering. Moved around a few times following jobs in the computer programming and consulting field. Now back in Knoxville, TN with my wife and two kids, managing a consulting practice. Our son (13) is carrying on the Euphonium tradition, and our daughter (10) is a professional dancer (modern, jazz, ballet and tap). Still see Bo Rist every now and then. He lives in Knoxville also.
Memory: 2nd half tunes like Pink Panther, Oscar Meyer Weiner, Peter Gunn Theme, Paper Drives, Competing with Billy and Julie Jones for solos (Malaguena), Playing Dixie for the Ole Miss crowd in the marching finals

Name: Douglas E. "Bug" Burdette
Email: burdetted@smdc.army.mil
Years in Band: 1969-1973
Instrument played: DRUMS!
Personal Info: Address- 103 Moonglow Tr, HSV, 35806 PH- Home-830-2537, Work-955-1896
Occupation- Engineer, US Army Space and Missile Defense Command, HSV
Wife- Delana Smith Burdette
Activities over the years- 74-79, Paramedic, Advanced Cardiac Life Support Instructor, Huntsville EMSI
79-81, Police Officer, Instructor Huntsville Police Academy, Huntsville Police Department
81-85, University Of AL-HSV, School of Engineering
85-Present, Engineer, Army SMDC, HSV
Band activities since GHS- Member of the Huntsville Concert Band 90-95
Back-up drummer for the Huntsville based "Old Town Brass", 96 to present
Memory: Fondest Memories-
- The very first Grissom football game in 69 when we performed without uniforms
- The very first time we put on our new uniforms in 69 and marched out on the field
- The first time we played in the new band room
- The first time we won Six Flaggs
- Very Fuzzy memories of the the first 12 hours after we won our first Six Flaggs
- The long Drum Section practices during the summer
- The miles of white tape we wrapped on our drum sticks
- Spending 4 years with the best drummers of that period
- The endless, hot summer band practices on the back lot
- The endless night concert practices getting ready for District, State, and Six Flaggs
- The huge sound or the GHS Band recorded on the judges tape from the 1970 Rossville Ga. Marching Contest
- Harriet Behr
- The 1,364 times Dave Ward slammed his baton of his music stand and screamed "What are you thinking about?!!!!!!!"
- The outstanding musicians and exceptional fine friends I was privileged to know and work with during my four years as a member of one of the greatest bands to ever exist.

Name: Karen Burgess
Email: burgekm@mindspring.com
Years in Band: 1990-1994
Instrument played: Trombone
Personal Info: I am still at Auburn University. I plan to graduate June 2000 in Chemical Engineering. I spent 5 quarters co-oping with Georgia-Pacific (a wonderful smelling paper mill).
Memory: Unforgettable times with wonderful people I am still close to. -I will never forget when Cherry Dean and I discovered that we were locked out of our hotel room and it just so happened to be about 1:00 in the morning. The master key from the front desk would not work, so we had to wake the chaperones (thank goodness that my mother was one of the chaperones for that trip).
-There was also the time when Keri Richardson, Cherry, and myself were hanging out on one of the trips wearing baseball hats and entirely too much makeup.
-A 24 hour bus trip to Va. Beach.
-The football games where we were not allowed to stand up because we had been cheering for the other teams.
-All of the Band romances...That's enough to keep anyone entertained.

Name: Amanda Burkett
Email: aburkett@simplenet.com
Years in Band: 1994-1998
Instrument played: Flute and Piccolo
Memory: Mr. Connell jumping on the hood of a car in the back parking lot!

Name: Jackie Domaracki Busby
Email: jdomaracki@hotmail.com
Years in Band: 1990-1994
Instrument played: clarinet/flag corps
Personal Info: Where did 10 years go? After graduation, I went to the University of Alabama and ended up with a master's degree in speech-language pathology. I am married to Mark Busby (who apparently had a brief encounter with the Grissom band when he transferred in from Maryland, but I didn't know him in high school. We met at UA). We live in Augusta, GA, and so far our only kids are the four legged kind. I am a speech pathologist working for a private practice, hoping to start my own soon. Mark was a substance abuse counselor at a methadone clinic for 3 years, but got tired of telling people who wanted to use drugs to stop using drugs, so now he's a restaurant manager.
Memory: As my sister Rachel (flute/guard) so eloquently put it to me, "It's all kind of a big blur now, but I think I had a good time." Definitely one of the best learning experiences I've had so far. Too many good memories to name.
By the way, congratulations on the excellent website.

Name: Robert Byrd
Email: dievoegel@verizon.net
Years in Band: 1984-1988
Instrument played: bass trombone
Personal Info:Bachelor's and Master's in music from Southern Mississippi and North Texas; free-lanced and auditioned (and had a day gig); moved to Germany for more of the same; back to Texas in '98 and have been here ever since. The day gig became permanent for about 7 years- I was running bank branches. Then banking and I parted ways, and I became a music educator- not in band like you'd think, but in elementary music! I'm in my third year and loving it!
Memory: Malaguena, the West Side Story show, Respighi's Feste Romane at the then-new hall in Tuscaloosa, all state trips, jazz band trips and parking lot football games, standing at Gus Grissom's grave at Arlington National Cemetary. Lots of powerful stuff!

C

Name: Jon Cabra
Email: Cabman5726@aol.com
Years in Band: 1993-1997
Instrument played: Euphonium, Band Captain
Personal Info: Currently in college Business Major
Memory: All of my summer trips...The band was an Incredible Experience. I agree with Brad More " When it is gone you will really miss it." So all of you there enjoy it but, NEVER STOP giving Connell and Vernon a hard time.

Name: Kim Campbell
Email: GraphicVis@aol.com
Years in Band: 1981-1984
Instrument played: Flute
Personal Info: I graduate from FSU in 1988 and have lived in Tallahassee since 1984. I have had my own Graphic Design business for 5 years and still going strong. Still looking for Mr. Right, but having fun!
Memory: Having to sell garbage bags, pizzas and ANYTHING to make money to go on our trips. Cramming 340+ musicians into our old band room to take photos to show the school board how badly we needed a NEW band room. Well, it worked! Sweating profusely during the summer marching band practice in those snake-like lines. Cool as a cucumber! Don't lock those knees! FALL IN!

Name: Deborah (Carroll) Sienkiewicz
Email: Sienktwins@aol.com
Years in Band: 1982-1985
Instrument played: Flute, Flag Corps
Personal Info: Graduated from Auburn with a degree in Marketing. Married Michael and lived in Atlanta for 2 years then moved to Memphis. Blessed with twins, Anna and Adam, June 9, 1998! Now a very happy stay-at-home mom and Mary Kay Consultant after working for Maybelline for 9 years. Michael works for Federal Express in Management.
Memory: Performing in all of the marching and concert competitions and winning most of them! After a marching band trip when we did not perform as well as expected, Jim Sparks came out of his office holding someone's retainer (which had been left on a bus) on the end of a letter opener, yelling, "RETAIN, RETAIN!!!"

Name: Leslie D. Carroll
Email: ldcarroll@angelfire.com
Years in Band: 1978-1981
Instrument played: TUBA
Personal Info: I moved to Memphis in 1985 with my (now ex-) husband so that he could attend seminary here. It's not Huntsville, but still a pretty nice town. I squeezed four years of college in to five, and received a degree in Social Work from the University of Memphis in 1994. After being out of High School for eight years, I became a member of "The Mighty Sound of the South" marching band. Boy, marching band was rough as an "older student". Having come from Grissom, the band experience here was somewhat disappointing, (I'm sure most of you out there know what I mean) but still rewarding. (At least it paid for college.) Now I am putting that Social work degree to good use as the secretary for University Bands here at the U of M. I guess I'm just a band geek at heart. I've found that band kids are consistently very high quality folks, whatever their past band experience. No kids, just cats. I still play tuba with a community band here. I would love to help put together a Sparks/Ward era alumni band during reunion time.
Memory: Trittico, Jupiter, Pines of Rome. Shepherd's Hey - do you remember the way we almost took off in flight at the end of Shepherd's Hey?! I can still hear Dave Ward's watch (over the music) rattling on his arm as he shook his fist directing Pines of Rome. At Halloween Ward threatened to "tuck it under (his) arm and go as a fireman." I also remember Pam Brockway, as we listened to out performance immediately after winning our 1981 Six Flags contest saying (with tears in her eyes) "We sound like the movies!"

Name: Pam Wickett Caruso
Email: pwchunt@aol.com
Years in Band: 1972-1975
Instrument played: Clarinet

Name: Chris Case
Email: kahotep@gmail.com
Years in Band: 1996-2000
Instrument played: Tuba
Personal Info: Graduated from the University of Alabama at Huntsville with a Major in Computer Science and a Minor in Mathematics. Currently working as an Oracle database system programmer.
Memory: Performing the Pines of Rome during the trip to Indianapolis.

Name: Jennifer Heaven Casey
Email: jbheaven27@yahoo.com
Years in Band: 1991-1995
Instrument played: Flute/piccolo
Personal Info: Went to Birmingham-Southern College 1995-99; Univ. of Alabama Law School 2000-2003; married 2003; George Washington Univ. Law School 2003-2004. Played flute through college; majored in English & biology. Will be in Birmingham starting August 2005.

Name: Vera Casteel (Childs)
Email: vera@dc-vc.net
Years in Band: 1991-1995
Instrument played: Trombone/Section Leader
Personal Info: I graduated from UAH with a BS in Electrical Engineering in 1999, and started working at Dynetics in May of that year, doing software development (slowly working on MS in Computer Science at UAH now). In the fall of 1998, I joined the Madison Community Band, and soon met Doug Childs, a tuba player. We got married in April 2000, and are enjoying life with our two cats Warlock and Aerial, and our German Shepherd Dog Bosco. I played mellophone in the Corps Vets Senior Drum and Bugle Corps in 1999 (Doug plays contra), am still participating in the MCB, and I also play in the North Alabama Trombone Ensemble.
Memory: So many... Well, there's the trip to D.C. where we memorized every inch of the Fairfax Mall. Then there's surviving jazz trombone sectionals with 'the guys'. And the fond memories of passing the Wavaho station when Joel Schendel was on the bus shouting the "Wavaho Cheer". And I really can't forget getting in a pretend cat fight on a bus with Kristin Etbauer over Mr. Bag, of which Mr. Bag did not survive.

Name: Melody Hooper Cathey
Email: eagle@rocketmail.com
Years in Band: 4
Instrument played: Clarinet, alternate majorette
Memory: Going to the first State Playoff Game. Doing a half-time show while it was sleeting. FAMOUS CIRCLE DRILL Eating at the Rebel in Gadsden after marching competition. Going to Six Flags and WINNING and Winning and winning.

Name: Geoffrey Chew
Email: ghchew@bsc.edu
Years in Band: 4
Instrument played: Clarinet/bass clarinet
Personal Info: Well I'm at Birmingham-Southern College where the band here is, how do I say, not quite the status of Grissom. Anyway, I'm a Biology major and am perusing a medical career. During the summers, you may find my wondering about the Space and Rocket Center in my security uniform, so watch out.
Memory: My Fondest memory...hmmm. Well basically all the trips were great, especially Nebraska. West Side!! Oh and being section leader was fun too.

Name: Jessica Chew
Email: chewj@hiwaay.net
Years in Band: 1990-1994
Instrument played: flute, oboe
Personal Info: Graduated from Kenyon College with an honors B.A. in Molecular Biology in 1998. Following graduation, I moved to Cleveland, OH and worked in a genetics lab at Case Western University. Currently I'm in Huntsville...for the time being.
Memory: One of my first memorable moments in the GHS band was band camp summer of 1990. Man was it a scorcher! I remember the lines to get water out of those snow cone like cups...we even made it into the newspaper--even they thought we were crazy to be out there with temps above 100 for most of the week. The trip to Cincinnati I will never forget how long we had to stay at that boring train station/museum. Only to find out that Pres. Bush spoke there this past year. Is he that boring too? Perhaps one of the strangest things for me was that somehow for senior year, my baby bro was assigned to march next to me. I still remember Mr. Vernon yelling, "Geoffrey... you're lost son....take a look at your sister!" --revenge or sibling rivalry? perhaps sisters can be right at least some of the time.

Name: Henry Choi
Email: henry.choi@gs.com
Years in Band: 1990-1994
Instrument played: French Horn
Personal Info: Graduated from Boston University School of Management in 1998 with a dual concentration in Finance and Information Systems with a minor in Economics. I'm currently in San Francisco, California, working as an investment banker for Goldman Sachs focusing on technology companies.
Memory: Random thoughts...
"This isn't the Chris Baker Band!!!!" What a classic...
The drummers whacking their sticks away at Michael Tripp's poor car.
The toilet placed on the conductor's tower...and then watching it break into pieces after Connell kicked it off in disgust. Good one Joel..
Davis: Seinfeld, very scary...how close the resemblance
"Dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb"
Brian Dunham standing up to Connell after being reprimanded for his horn angle - Where the heck did that come from?! Dunham, to this day I give you props!
CHUCK MOORE!!!! - For those fortunate enough to enjoy the Chuck Moore experience . . . it was like no other. Does anyone know where he is?!

Name: Alison Christy (Fields)
Email: gandafields14@hotmail.com
Years in Band: 1992-1996
Instrument played: Clarinet / Flag Corp
Personal Info: I graduated from Auburn in June of 2000 in Applied Math. I met a guy named Garet at Auburn, and we got married in August of 2000. We now live in Madison where Garet is a Mechanical Engineer and I am still looking for a job. War Eagle!
Memory: My favorite times in the band were definitely spent with the guard girls and early morning practices with Stan. Although the many band trips come a close second, especially to Orlando and Chicago.

Name: Chris Clark
Email: Percist@aol.com
Years in Band: 1991-1995
Instrument played: Percussion
Personal Info: Been married for three years now, still attending Mississippi State University will graduate SOON with a degree in Music Ed (hopefully Science Ed also).
Memory: There's nothing like the decadence of a good band trip. Still looking for the Gold Drum

Name: Phillip Clements
Email: fotoduck@cs.com
Years in Band: 1979-1982
Instrument played: Trumpet
Personal Info: Had to move between 11th & 12th grade. Ended up graduating from Kaiser High in Honolulu. (Yes, Hawaii, and NO, it wasn't that great!) That gave me a true understanding of the saying "You don't know or appreciate what you've got until it's not there anymore." Joined the Navy and was stationed on the U.S.S. Nimitz for a few years. I'm, currently living outside Birmingham, working in the video production business, primarily medical education. I've taken up photography and have a small side-business called Double Exposure. And I have been known to be around the race track on occasion. (No, not as a fan!)
Memory: Every time I read someone else's memories, it brings another one to mind. The Indian River Citrus sale, Summer Sausage sale, candles.....(Heck! What didn't we sell!) A cold, rainy evening in Valdosta, GA when Mr. Sparks told Kenny Watters to "Impress Him" with his solo in "One Eyed Sailor". The spine tingling feeling of one line of band from Goal line to goal line. The 1982 Spring Concert when I knew I was moving and wouldn't be making music with "The Band" anymore.

Name: Stephanie Clutts
Email: 227cato@yahoo.com
Years in Band: 1998-2002
Instrument played: Clarinet
Personal Info: I loved colorguard when I was there, and I'd like to see them accomplish even more than my senior class did when I was there. Also, I'd like to say hello to Connell and Vernon. Thanks guys. And Connell, I still seem to rock the boat occasionally if you know what I mean...
Memory: Any of the competitions. During the competitions, we felt as though we were Gods.

Name: Cindy Coker
Email: cinco@hiwaay.net
Years in Band: 1975-1979
Instrument played: Trumpet
Personal Info: I'm in Huntsville (still), working for NASA as a Project Chief Engineer. Life is fine, but too often hectic. Since the 10th reunion of the Class of '79, I've toyed with the idea of pulling together a Ward/Sparks Era GHS Band Reunion. I'm sure there are a bunch of us old band kids who would love to see fellow musicians +/- 3 Yrs outside our own classes. Now that more folks are on line, maybe it wouldn't be too hard to pull off....
Memory: Tough question!!... Always winning Half time, regardless of however the football fiasco was going...
Bringing Mark Hindsley to tears at State Contest when he heard us, as a judge, play his arrangement of Don Juan in 1979...A brief Halloween Party Susan Mauk and I hosted in our hotel room while on the road for Marching Contest (complete w/apple bobbing in the bathtub) our Junior Year, before Ward had to bust it for noise...Tearful and triumphant Spring Concerts...and every piece we played that I've stumbled across on NPR or a CD over the years since...And most of all, a few dear friends I didn't keep up with as well over the years as I thought I would back then...

Name: Meg Cook (Pattillo)
Email: mpdesign@hiwaay.net
Years in Band: 1974-1978
Instrument played: Clarinet, Flag Corp
Personal Info: I graduated from Auburn University in Dec. 82 with a B.F.A degree in commercial art. I returned to Huntsville to work and soon married my husband, Blake Pattillo whom I met in Auburn. He is from Dothan, AL., Dothan H.S. '76. I worked for Intergraph Corporation, The Huntsville Times, and Carson Publishing for a total of 12 years, then began my own freelance graphics business working from my home for the last 4 years. I have 3 children: Lindsey, 24, Ben 21, and Audrey, 16. I still have my Clarinet, no longer play, but don't want to part with it either. I still think that one day I may play in some small group like the Heavenly Honkers at First United Methodist Church downtown.
Memory: The football games were the most fun. I just remember the excitement, the raw musical power of our huge organization, and later on the flag corps doing all those crazy dances in the stands to the beat of the drum section. I still remember the sound of the drum beat. We had two rows of flags and rifles doing this drum dance with our brown skirts, flashy satin shirts, white tasseled boots, and chignon hair pieces. People in the stands from above would throw stuff in the top of our beehive hairpieces

Name: Davis Cooper
Email: dscoop5597@aol.com
Years in Band: 1969-1973
Instrument played: Trombone
Personal Info: Wife Cathy (Fisher '73)and I live in Prattville AL with our three sons. Retiring from the Air Force and going to work for a contractor as a Senior Operations Analyst in the War gaming department at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery. Oldest son Tim plays trombone in the Prattville High School band. Middle son Nick plays fluegelbone (sp) in the junior high band.
Memory: - Dave Ward's warm wits of wisdom (wish I saved more)
- Practicing the first year across the street in a bumpy field
- The new band room (when it was finally finished)
- Mornings in the band room before school 7:30-8:00
- Practicing in the back on the HOT blacktop
- Six flags 71, 72, 73

Name: Gwen Kirchner Cooper
Email: SD.GKCOOPER@worldnet.att.net
Years in Band: 1979 - 1983
Instrument played: Clarinet
Personal Info: I am currently living and working in Chattanooga, TN. My husband and I have two kids and very little free time!
Memory: The funniest band memory I have was from the summer of '79. I was a freshman learning how to march. On this particular day I was in a group of about ten freshman girls being instructed by Harry Waters. While we were standing at attention someone, I don't remember who, came up behind Harry and pulled his shorts all the way down to his ankles! Needless to say no one was able to stay at attention!

Name: Mary Beth Friday (Cope)
Email: jmcope3@bellsouth.net
Years in Band: 1992-1996
Instrument played: Clarinet, section leader 1996
Personal Info: I felt it was time for an update in 2008. I've been married for 8 years. We have a beautiful daughter, Caitlyn who is going to be 4 this December. I'm living in Athens, AL but working over at Madison Co. HS. Still hoping for a move to HSV to get closer to work. Hope all my friends are doing well! It was great to read all the alumni information from people I went to school with!
Memory:Nasty breathing bags, awesome band trips and what continues to be my moment of pride in FL "Say hi to my friend Ena. Hi Ena!"

Name: Virginia A. Connell
Email: Vaconn3236@aol.com
Years in Band: 1984-1985
Instrument played: Clarinet
Personal Info: I guess you could say I was there during the last of the "Sparks" era. What a great time that was. I hated to hear what happened to him after the Grissom years, but all I have to say is that he was an awesome director and I had great respect for the man while he was at Grissom. I learned much from him.
I left the band after my sophomore year but music was still important part of my life. (I play the piano). After graduating in 1987, I continued on to UNA where I majored in Computer Information Systems. I think I was the only business major taking two years of music theory just for the fun of it. After college I left Alabama only to live in Maine for 4 years and now reside in the Big Apple. There's nothing like NY City!!! Definitely visit there once in your lifetime.
PS. And yes, my father is Bill Connell...but not the band director...HA. Best wishes to all!!!!!!!
Memory: Lets see.....Myself, Lynn , Cande, Jeff (sorry for making you rebel and eat rabbit in Williamsburg) on the band trips...always fighting with Debra and Michelle...the drum corp....Sing a longs on the band trips lead by David Anderson....and Walt Disney overload.

Name: Lynn Connor
Email: lynnibear@yahoo.com
Years in Band: 1985-1989
Instrument played: Flute
Personal Info: I have a wonderful son who is 11 and has started band at Mt. Gap this year; takes after his dear old mom. He is the highlight in my life.
Memory: The band trips and football games, not to mention all the great friends I made while I was there.

Name: Jimmy Covelli
Email: jacovelli@sbcglobal.net
Years in Band: 1987-1991
Instrument played: Clarinet/Drum Major
Personal Info: I graduated from Southern Miss in Music. After that, I played with the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra for a year, then I joined the Air Force Band. I have since left the band and I lived in Shreveport, LA flying B-52's for the Air Force , and have since moved to Randolph AFB in San Antonio! I have been married for 9 wonderful years to Angela, whom I met in college. We have a three year old girl - Abby, and we just had a beautiful baby boy - Andrew, who was born July 16th, 2006. Visit our website @ www.covelliweb.com for pictures and more info.
Updated: 7/29/06

Name: Howard Crawford
Email: howard.crawford@mcmail.vanderbilt.edu
Years in Band: 1979-1983
Instrument played: Trumpet
Personal Info: Well, lessee... after Grissom I went to Cornell and graduated summa with a degree in Biochemistry (big whoop, as it turns out). Went to Grad School in University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas and got out of there with a degree in Genetics and Developmental Biology. Currently I'm faculty at Vanderbilt in the Department of Cell Biology.
Married only to my work (trust me, there's not a woman in the world who'd put up with my schedule nor would I want her to). Probably have hundreds of kids, but that's only because I made extra money in grad school as a sperm donor. Ewww.... Capitalism. Live with it.
Memory: Not that I remember a *whole* lot after Sloan pelted square on the head SIX times while practicing the big over-the-band flag toss, but let's try...
Convincing Sparks that "Screw" isn't a bad word.
Seeing Sparks' eyes bulge when he SCREWED the cue during 1812 at the Cherry Blossom Festival. It's OK, I'm not being mean... we still won.
Being the only person to bring cold weather clothes to Notre Dame (It snowed a foot or more).
Giving Sparks all those damned things we had to sell as a gift during the Christmas concert, wrapped nicely in a Band Garbage Bag.
While not technically a band memory... hearing Sparks was a fugitive from justice and, as far as I know, still is.
But, truly, the best memory of all had to be performing the proper halftime show at Homecoming AFTER the game. Not only did the audience stay, but the opposing band (an away band, no less) moved from the Visitors stands to the Home stands so that they could hear us better. And there we were thinking we'd be playing to an empty stadium. We played our best show ever that night.

Name: Susan Wayne Credle
Email: scredle@ac.net
Years in Band: 1983-1985
Instrument played: French Horn
Personal Info: I attended Samford University for 3 semesters, then transferred to Univ. of NC-Charlotte, where I graduated with and accounting degree in 1991. I worked for a Big 6 public accounting firm for 4 years, doing primarily bank audits. I married a fellow CPA in 1995. We relocated in 1997 from Charlotte to the Pinehurst NC (golf heaven) area, due to my husband accepting a new position. I currently work part-time for a private company. We have two pugs, age four, who we have managed to spoil rotten. No children-yet.
Memory: Very long practices on very hot summer days; working the Saturday "paper drives"; being singled out by Mr. Sparks for a misstep at one fateful marching practice; getting in trouble for talking too much during class (Mr. Rich-I think it was him-actually called my mom to tattle on me).

Name: Melissa Crouch
Email: CroucMG@Mail.Auburn.Edu
Years in Band: 1993-1997
Instrument played: Clarinet and Flag Corps
Personal Info: I'm at Auburn majoring in Landscape Architecture. I'm having so much fun, even though I miss band.....sometimes!! :) I hope all of you are doing well, and you can write me anytime! :)
Memory: Geez, there are so many! But a couple of favorites would have to be the trips of course, hot fudge sundae breakfasts after summer guard practices, and the walls of the storage room BEFORE they were repainted!

Name: Mark Crouse
Email: mark@houseofcrouse.com
Years in Band: 1974 to 1978
Instrument played: Clarinet
Personal Info: Married to Jackie Crouse, tax attorney; two kids, Brandon (9) and Kiersten (7). Investment Banking/Fund Management.
Memory: Traveling on band trips; freezing in the bleachers on away games; local, state and regional competitions; and always the Spring concert in the VBCC. Best of all, the friends.

Name: Lanae Curry
Email: naenkb@bellsouth.net
Years in Band: 1981-1985
Instrument played: Clarinet
Personal Info: I am an accountant in Birmingham for a large Healthcare company. Have recently become engaged and am getting married on September 18, 1999. My new name will be Lanae Curry Brooks.
Memory: All the great band trips and the lasting friendships that were made, two of my bridesmaids were met through band at GHS.

Name: Chrissy Curtis (Medley)
Email: lsuchrissy@yahoo.com
Years in Band: 1990-1994
Instrument played: Saxophone/Color Guard
Personal Info: I have been married for almost eight years to Brandon Curtis; no kids yet, maybe later. I work at the church I grew up in, Whitesburg Baptist Church, as the Youth Administrative Assistant. I'm having fun and loving life!
Memory: Who could forget the week of band camp? One of my fondest memories was that Mr. Connell never could tell me and my twin, Margaret, apart. So he would just say "Ms. Medley, you're line's not straight," and hope that we'd fix it.

Name: Andy Curtze
Email: curtze@menta.net
Years in Band: 1981-1983
Instrument played: Bass, Jazz Band
Personal Info: Married, living in Barcelona, still playing that bass...

D

Name: Vickie Daggett
Email: DbyVickie@hotmail.com
Years in Band: 1974-1978
Instrument played: Bassoon, Flag Corp
Personal Info:
Memory:

Name: Michael R. Davidson
Email: mdavidson@charter.net
Years in Band: 1980-1984
Instrument played: Alto Saxophone
Personal Info: Graduated from Auburn in 1988 with a degree in Industrial Engineering. Married to a wonderful wife, Katy, and live in Morristown, TN. We enjoy backpacking and travel with our yellow lab as we are close to the Great Smoky Mountains, Pisgah National Forest, Big South Fork, and other great venues.
Work for Toyoda TRW Automotive as the Plant Operations Manager. We manufacture power steering pumps, hoses, and reservoirs for almost 100% of Toyota and DaimlerChrysler vehicles built in North America. Katy and I just bought a historic home in Morristown constructed in 1859 and look forward to that as a long-term hobby.
Memory: Long afternoons, bus rides, "Grandpa" the boom box, Washington D.C. trip, baton throwing by Jim, Dogwood Arts Festival trip.

Name: Ben Davis
Email: davisb@huntsville.sparta.com
Years in Band: 1974-1977
Instrument played: Baritone
Personal Info: I have been married for about 10 years. I work here in Huntsville on the NMD Weapon System program as a cost analyst. My wife Susan works at home as medical transcriptionist. I have two children, Wesley (six years old) and Mary Beth (two years old). Life is pretty good.
Memory: The hot summers marching on that black pavement behind the school and Kevin Collins yelling in my hear; bus trips.

Name: Dr. Ruth Y. Davis
Email: ruthydavis@earthlink.net
Years in Band: Fall 1973-76
Instrument played: Flute/Piccolo
Personal Info: I'm still single (and straight) and live in New York City (since 1978) and still live across the street from the World Trade Center (that is, after they replaced my windows, cleaned up, got looted, cleaned up, and then became very ill months later from breathing in the "safe" air from burning debris that we had to walk through daily because we were told to move back way too soon).
I laugh to this day when people back home seem skeptical that I could live a life of anyting other than boring--but I have indeed enjoyed numerous careers from vast directions (everything from designing clothes/costumes, managing Broadway theatres, art, writing, advertising, teaching flute, singing, programming computers) and always keeps my hands in the arts somehow. When nobody knew what to do to cure my nerve and lung problems from the World Trade afterlife, I was determined to do it myself, and therefore went back to school and received my N.M.D. doctorates and board licensed 2004 (Naturopathic medical Doctor--1/2 natural 1/2 traditional), and was successful in my own cure. This is a growing field (even though nothing new to me). I enjoy teaching people to heal themselves and watch their recoveries. Sometimes, just listening and actually hearing a person is all they wanted or needed.
Meanwhile, age 50 is creeping up and I wouldn't say no to migrating South or near my family (my parents & younger brother Lyle & his family are in Florida near NASA--Clayton is in South Alabama). This is beginning to sound like a singles ad.
Memory: I think getting to play "dress up" in the various costumes -- from the short marching band rifle corp skirts with hair in a crazy bun, to the concert band suits adorned with metals but tripping over my mens' dress shoes (that weighed as much as I did). I guess there's still something fun about a crazy UNIFORM!

Name: Doug Dawson
Email: dddawson@lpl.arizona.edu
Years in Band: 1983-1986
Instrument played: French Horn
Personal Info: Currently finishing up at the Planetary Science graduate program at the University Of Arizona.

Name: Diana Dean (Chapman)
Email: ddeancha@sprynet.com
Years in Band: 1982-1986
Instrument played: Flute

Name: Linda Sumners DeBrunner
Email: ldebrunner@ou.edu
Years in Band: 1976-1980
Instrument played: Flute

Name: Susan Moellers De La Paz
Email: edelapaz@swbell.net
Years in Band: 1969-1972
Instrument played: Clarinet
Personal Info: I am married to Ernie and live in San Antonio, Texas. After graduating from college, I taught Junior High School Band in Mississippi for one year. After that, I played professionally for over 7 years. I am currently an IT Systems Analyst with USAA and have been in the computer applications development field for 12 years. My competitiveness has now been transfered to dog showing. Ernie and I own and exhibit 4 beautiful champion American Eskimo dogs. "Prince" is currently ranked #12 in AKC. Please go see our "kids" at www.americaneskimo.com/shalom.
Memory: I thankfully remember Dave Ward for all of his encouragement, both personally and professionally.

Name: Andrew DeLongchamp
Email: delong@thaad.tecmasters.com
Years in Band: 1993-1997
Instrument played: Trumpet
Personal Info: Attending Mississippi State University studying Bio-Medical Engineering/Pre-Med. Member of the Famous Maroon Marching Band, the Pep Band, Jazz Band, and Symphonic Band. GO STATE !!
Memory: Mr. Vernon and our Jazz Band trips, especially when the instrument trailer crashed and burned in Austria !!

Name: Jennifer Denholm
Years in Band: 1993-1997
Instrument played: Flute/Color Guard
Personal Info: In 2001 I graduated from Auburn University. In Dec. 2003 I will be graduating, with my MA in Public and Organizational Communication, from the University of South Alabama.
Memory: I saw this girl, on my first day of band camp in 1993, and I thought, "ugh....she is such a goody goody! I don't think we are going to get along." As it turns out, we have been best friends ever since!!!!!! You meet some really great people in band. I had a lot of fun on the band trips.

Name: Brian Dineen
Email: bdineen@eng.ua.edu
Years in Band: 4
Instrument played: Trombone - dog pound gangsta
Personal Info: i go to school
i eat fish
i watch urkel
life is good.
Memory: CIABPOS

Name: Karen Disher
Email: karen.disher@mtv.com
Years in Band: 1986-87
Instrument played: Trumpet

Name: Courtney Mitchell Doering
Email: courtney@wrongmotor.com
Years in Band: 1993-1997
Instrument played: Colorguard/clarinet
Personal Info: After graduating GHS, I attended Auburn and during two summers marched drum corps ('99 Magic of Orlando, '00 Colts). After spending a few years at Auburn not knowing what I wanted to do, I finally moved back home where I met my soulmate, Mark Doering. We got married in June 2003, and so far our kids are two miniature dachshunds and a cat. We live here in Huntsville where we were both born and raised, are active at church (Latham UMC) and work closely with the youth group there. I get to work at The Rubber Stamp Lady (a scrapbooking/rubber stamping store), and I was lucky enough last football season to get to work with Stan as a tech for the Grissom colorguard, and I look forward to doing the same this year, too!
Memory: The friendships, endless practices for colorguard or concert band, funny Stan-isms that I still use on occasion (and I've noticed are still used in the colorguard today), and a greater appreciation for free time.

Name: Neil Doughty
Email: ingenius1@hotmail.com
Years in Band: 1971-1972
Instrument played: Clarinet , Trumpet

Name: Matt Dravecky
Email: Sternroxx@aol.com
Years in Band: 1985 - 1988
Instrument played: Trumpet
Personal Info: Employed Kinetic Communications Inc. Commercial production and radio station imaging. The company is moving me from North Carolina to Albany, Georgia in the Summer of 1998. Time spent in the GHS band has helped more than I thought it would when I'm in the Production studio.
Memory: Truck Crew... band trips... Mr. C's sense of humor... Mr. Vernon's Jazz Band Class... (It's been 10 years, I guess I can officially get away with calling you Theo now) Some of the best years and best friends of my youth. Advice to current and future band members: Roll your feet and aim for the Press Box!

Name: David Drissel
Email: drissel@duke.iccc.cc.ia.us
Years in Band: 1972-1975
Instrument played: Trumpet
Personal Info: I graduated with honors from the University of North Alabama in 1980, where I was editor of my college paper, a member of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, and inducted into the UNA Hall of Fame. I worked for several years as a reporter for a local newspaper. I then was in and out of graduate school for several years until finally graduating with highest honors and receiving a Master's Degree in Political Science from Auburn University in 1992. I authored an 864-page thesis paper on perestroika and the fall of the Soviet Union (parts of which were published). I was an instructor at Draghons Junior College in Montgomery, Alabama from 1992 until 1995. Since 1995, I have served as Department Chair for Social Science and Education at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge, Iowa. I have presented papers at numerous conferences, including several that focused on ways to integrate information technologies into political science courses. I also recently participated in a research project in the former Czechoslovakia. I am very involved in politics, having been elected to local, state, and national party conventions in past years. I enjoy playing piano, doing karaoke, lifting weights (I can still bench press up to 300 pounds), collecting CDs and attending concerts (yes, I like to mosh every now and then), dancing, swimming, and writing articles for local and national publications. I was recently included as an "Outstanding Young Man of America." I still love music, but rarely have the opportunity to play trumpet anymore. I have never married, but lead an active social life and feel much younger than my 42 years.
Memory: My fondest memories include the 1974 win at Six Flags. Wow...what a night! I'll never forget being introduced to a few things that were somewhat taboo for a naive kid such as myself, including my first taste of beer. I ended having a ball but accidentally got into a bit of trouble that night. But I was definitely not alone in that regard! I also remember having to duck when Mr. Ward's baton would go spinning out of his hand towards an unsuspecting band member playing a wrong note in practice. I can still visualize performing with the jazz band and wearing those AWFUL leisure suits. I remember how much fun I had making friends in the band and realizing that I could be successful in something. The band gave me some self-confidence and paved the way for later accomplishments. I remember the fun we had at pep rallies playing "Soul Train" and "McArthur's Park" and feeling so cool about it. We were so hip for 70s Alabama! I remember concert band practice and ha! ving to get that "Romeo and Juliet" part just right. I also remember some pretty dumb things I said and did. I could be such a nerd at times! But, I outgrew all that and by college began to experience the acceptance and respect that I had longed for in high school. Although moving from "C" band as a GHS freshman up to the top ranks of the "A" band trumpet section by my junior year certainly gave me my first taste of accomplishment and inspired me to set my sights even higher in later years.

Name: Brian Dunham
Email: bdunham00@yahoo.com
Years in Band: 1990-1994
Instrument played: Trombone/Euphonium/Band Pimp
Personal Info: After graduating from Auburn University in '99, I am currently
employed at Teledyne Brown Engineering in Huntsville.
Memory: My memories include being snowed in at the All-State Festival in Auburn. The good ole Heart of Auburn Motel was the backdrop for several memorable trips. Brian Dineen's lost All-State tryout sheet that knocked me out of Red Band. My 'It's just warm up' defiance of Connell horn angle. The almost Band Union. CIABPOS And the people I experienced these things with. Too many to name here.

Name: Denise Dunn
Email: ChefDenise@hotmail.com
Years in Band: 1975-1979
Instrument played: Clarinet
Personal Info: Married to Cole Shepherd since 1983; two children. Now living in Hong Kong, we will be moving to Beijing, China, in the summer of '00!
Memory: All those bus trips!!!

Name: Kevin Dunaway
Email: Dunaway604@aol.com
Years in Band: 1989-1993
Instrument played: Trumpet
Personal Info: Well, it's 1999 now and I'm still in school. I finished undergrad at Samford and I am currently getting my Masters of Divinity at Duke Divinity School. I plan to go from here to get my PhD in Sociology. Maybe one day I'll get out of school. Maybe one day I'll get my embouchure back. Till then I keep writin' and readin' and studyin'.
Memory: All of the friends with which I shared the formative years of my life. Being the typical male, I've lost track of them all.

E

Name: Nancy Fay Ellis
Email: knellis@mindspring.com
Years in Band: 1978-1981
Instrument played: Clarinet
Personal Info: I am still in Huntsville (well, I live in Union Grove). I married a guy that was in my home room all during high school and I never knew him (he was a mope). We have an almost 3 year old son, Jesse. I went to college at UAH and got a degree in engineering, and am working part-time at Teledyne Brown Engineering (soon to be working at S3).
Memory: Fondest memories include playing the best music ever (Don Juan, Pines of Rome, Jupiter, etc) and playing it so good that I was in tears after our performance, going to all-state and embarrassing myself in front of Sparks while he was giving my best friend, David Fountain, a lesson, by acting like a "mope", singing during our spring concert my senior year, all the seniors dropping one glove on the field after our last marching competition...well, I could go on, but...

Name: Brantley-Ence
Email: bbrant4848@aol.com
Years in Band: 1986-1990
Instrument played: Flute, Rifles, Drum Major
Personal Info: I am living in Columbus, GA with my husband of 8 years, Kendall. We have 3 kids; Belinda 7, Sierra 5, and Baylee 2. I attended BYU in Provo, UT. Kendall is a Dept. Manager at Blue Cross Blue Shield of GA and I am a happy mommy!
Memory: The 4-B Club (you all know who you are)! The rest of the world still wonders don't they!

Name: Teri Howell-Evangelista
Email: jevangel@com1.med.usf.edu
Years in Band: 1986-1990
Instrument played: Alto saxophone/Rifle
Personal Info: Went to the University of Florida (GO GATORS!) graduated in 1995 with teaching degree in Physical Education and Athletic Training. I stayed at UF for my masters degree in Anatomy and Athletic Training. I married Jason Evangelista in May 1997. We are currently living in Tampa, FL. I am a home maker while Jason is attending medical school. We have a little boy, Joshua Aaron, who was born Nov. 3, 1998.
Memory: marshmallows thrown at Connell at Christmas--sitting in band room before school and whenever we could get out of class--Knoxville, Washington D.C., Tampa, and where ever the 4th band trip was it must not have been too memorable but I'm sure it was still fun--summer practices--and so much more.

Name: Gretchen Krantz Evans
Email: gevans@dpw.com
Years in Band: 1982-1985
Instrument played: flute
Personal Info: I left Grissom after my junior year and never quite found another organization that was as much fun as the band was. After graduating from high school in NC (where I did NOT join the band), I got my degree in German/International Studies from WVU, married my husband Michael and spent 7 years as an army wife. I graduated Columbia Law School in 1999 and practice securities law and M&A in the Hong Kong office of a NYC law firm. My husband Michael is now a foreign service officer with the State Dept. and we and our son, Jack, who is 2 1/2, will be living in Hong Kong for another two years. If anyone is in the neighborhood, look us up!
Memory: I think I was probably in the best shape of my life because I did so many laps around that stupid parking lot whenever I (or our section) messed up! Marching band season was definitely one of the most fun times of my life - working toward a goal and just the fact that the crowd responded so well to something we worked so hard on was great. I remember Mr. Rich being saddled with us poor C-Banders and actually making it fun. I still have my flute and probably only pick it up once a year, which is definitely consistent with my high school experience and probably why I was in C band for 2 years in the first place.

Name: Meghan Etheridge Everette
Email: uaprincess@hotmail.com
Years in Band: 1994-1998
Instrument played: Oboe/Pit
Personal Info: I went to the University of Alabama to major in music therapy - switched to music education - switched to advertising. Got engaged to Justin Everette (a drummer from Mobile - we met in band) August 2001, married on New Year's Eve 2002. We both received Masters in Advertising and PR in May 2003 and moved to Daphne (might-as-well-be-Mobile) Alabama so I could take a job as a Creative Director for an Internet company. Decided to quit July 2004 for a job with Goodwill Easter Seals of the Gulf Coast helping people with disabilities and disadvantages situations find jobs and yes I'm aware that isn't my major. Currently enrolled in a Master's program to get my teaching degree. Yes, I'm that indecisive.
We just bought our first house Nov 2004 and we have one dog - Cooper - who is really more of a 3 year old child than Basset Hound. No kiddos as of yet.
Memory: It goes without saying - Mr. Connell jumping on the roof of that guys car to defend his fallen band-child. Or "thu" or learning way too much about sex ed via the insightfulness of the drumline bus riders.
But to snag my sisters comments.... this is what Grissom Band is all about:

Name: Jim Everidge
Email: JEveridge@rapidld.com
Years in Band: 1974-1977
Instrument played: Tuba
Personal Info: Married (Debbie) with one child (Katelyn) and living in Atlanta. Executive in a dot.com in the eLearning business. Hope to retire soon!
Memory: Standing at attention with sweat rolling down my face (in August before school started) while the streaker crossed the parking lot - and not being able to laugh!

Name: Melani Anderson Ezzell
Email: Ezzellmel10@aol.com
Years in Band: 1979-1983
Instrument played: Clarinet
Personal Info: Let's see, got married right after highschool,I now am divorced and raising two boys, Jaime,13 and Sean,10.Moved around,California,N. Carolina,Atlanta,but now I'm living back in Huntsville where I've been a hairstylist for a few years. Nothing too exciting or horrible, but I never became a punk rock star unfortunately. Oh well....
Memory: Six Flags, stuffing cigarette butts up my nose on the log ride with Scott and Janice, bon fires, great friends and all the beautiful music which I miss so much I actually dream about sometimes.

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Name: Charles E. Fabbrini
Email: CTCharles21@Hotmail.com
Years in Band: 1993-1997
Instrument played: Alto Sax and Bari Sax
Personal Info: Living in Florida now but soon to be moving back to Huntsville, AL. I moved to New Port Richey FL in June of 2000. At the end of March of 2005. I will be moving back with my wife Tracy. Tracy went to Butler High School and remembered me from the Grissom and Butler Game. I'm a Security Officer at the moment with an AS degree in Computer Networking Technology, I graduated from Remington College in Largo FL in Jan 2004.
Memory: The Spring Trips and the football games. Loved them both. I could never trade those memories in. Hanging out with my friends from band. I think Band has taught me never to give up on what you want in life. So thank you Mr. Connell and Mr. Vernon for everything!!

Name: Derek Fenstermacher
Email: finnley85@aol.com
Years in Band: 2000-2004
Instrument played: Tuba, Bass Trombone; Sym. 1 Band, Jazz Band, Marching
Personal Info:
-currently undergrad. at University of Alabama majoring in Music Performance
-recently appointed principal tubist with the Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra
-substitute tuba with the Alabama Symphony (not officially, but said so by the Principal Tuba of the ASO :-), and the Tuscaloosa Symphony
-freelancer, and avid practicer
-finished 3rd at the International Tuba/Euphonium Conference's Tuba Quartet Competition, June 2006 in Denver, CO
Memory: So many things to remember...the music, the people, the directors. All of them I hold near and dear to my heart. I'm thankful for the years I played with the GHS Band.

Name: Jennifer Figg
Email: jennifer_figg@bellsouth.net
Years in Band: 1995-1999
Instrument played: Clarinet/Bass Clarinet
Personal Info: Well I graduated in May of 2003 from Calhoun with a General Education degree that has gotten me absolutely no where. I am at UAH right now majoring in Chemistry with a Business hoping to go on to be a Pharmacist (without having to go to Auburn). Still living in the great town of "Huntsvegas". Hadn't really put a whole lot of thought back into the band after graduation until tonight and I started remembering little tidbits and I can't help but miss it. I've read almost all the stories on the alumni page and can vividly remember each and every one of the stories that were told during the time I was in the band.
Memory: I would have to say my fondest memory of all was my senior year when we went to Indianapolis. It was a hard trip for me to make but with the help of Connell and Vernon I made through it. By the way Thanks for that! Being on the field during games and competitions would have to be my next fondest memory, the competition that I remember the most was in Ootelwah Tennessee, and we were standing on the sidelines at attention (as we always did - Connell and Vernon thanks for NEVER letting up the slack) and next thing you know there are trampolines on the field, freaky. Needless to say that was the one competition in the four years I was in the band that we weren't the top rated band, but we were a VERY close second by a tenth of a point. All the trips were great, even though I would have to say after graduation and being able to go on yet another band trip to New York and having that opportunity was nice. I hope everyone is doing great! I miss everyone and love it when I run into people out of no where that I haven't seen in forever.

Name: Angie Ford Green
Email: Email=afgreen@charter.net
Years in Band: 1982-1986
Instrument played: Flute/piccolo, rifle corps
Personal Info: Celebrating my 19th anniversary this year (2010) to Brad  (actually met on a blind date!). Have 2 kids, Will (15) and Cammie (12). Living in Birmingham, in Liberty Park, for the past 10 years. I  graduated from Birmingham-Southern in 1986 with a degree in chemistry. Worked for a couple years and decided to go back to school. Received a Doctorate in Pharmacy from Samford in 1992 (OFFICIALLY done with school-forever! Guess I'll just live vicariously through my children now!) I "retired" from pharmacy in 2008, and am now a stay-at-home mom. Who'd a thunk it?!?!
Memory: There are wwwwaaayyyy too many memories to list! Sometimes have nightmares about Sparks screamin' and spittin' at me because my foot is about an 1/8th of an inch off the hash mark-or maybe that's just the hot flashes.... I also remember working my bootie off for rifle corps-breaks, bruises, bumps, etc. Alesia Blackwell, you are a saint for letting me throw my rifle over you at color guard camp!  So many wonderful people and wonderful (as well as bad-and you KNOW who you are!) memories! I agree with so many of the comments listed. Sparks and Ward were, to put it NICELY, tough on us. I can now look back and see how it shaped my work ethic and life in general. I can remember sitting on the stage, tearing up, just listening to us play.  If anyone knows where I can download the old albums that were cut, would you please pass along the info?

Name: Dacia Elizabeth Foster
Email: gt7572c@prism.gatech.edu
Years in Band: 1993-1997
Instrument played: Flute
Personal Info: I have begun my eternal quest to rule the world at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, GA. But, I'm now an official Alaskan resident where my parents experience a newly acquired Eskimo adventure. Atlanta is entertaining, school is amusing, friends are jovial, I love to frolic, life is good. fun
Memory: Secret missions with Angie and Melissa and cotton balls.

Name: Rhonda Lesher Frazier
Email: rfrazier@gva.net
Years in Band: 1974-1976
Instrument played: Percussion

Name: Julie Leonard Freitas
Email: eireann@mediaone.net
Years in Band: 1984-1988
Instrument played: Trumpet
Personal Info: After graduating from Grissom, I received a BA from St. Mary's College. Then a glutton for punishment, I decided to go on for my Master's in history at Marquette University, and I am currently finishing my Ph.D. in history. I got married this past May down in Huntsville, but am living in the Boston area and loving it.
Memory: Watching the directors get frustrated with the woodwinds, because of course we in the brass section always got it right!

Name: Stephen Fronefield
Email: Birddoc86@aol.com
Years in Band: 1975-1979
Instrument played: Clarinet
Personal Info: Attended Auburn University for seven years and finished with a B.S. and D.V.M. degree. I moved to Houston, Texas and have been practicing veterinary medicine here since 1986. Wife, Diane, and I had our first child, Carson, in June of 98. All is going super.
Memory: Road trips, wrestling and competitions. The best of times in high school were with the band and its members. Holding down last chair was always a challenge.

Name: Marcy Funaro
Email: funarom@email.uah.edu
Years in Band: 1994-1996
Instrument played: trombone
Personal Info: Graduated from Grissom in 1998. Currently attending University of Alabama in Huntsville as an art history major and communications minor.
Memory: Honestly, my fondest memory with the band was all the hard work that was put into it. Although I was only with the Grissom band for 2 years, I will always remember the 2 week band camps in August and the hours we put in after school. Even though there were (many!) days when it was hot and everyone was cranky, it was worth it and, in retrospect, it was definitely a lot of fun.
When people ask me now about high school and i tell them i was in band for a little while, I love telling them I played the trombone. I have a lot of pride being part of that section...and especially having been a 'boner chick.

Name: Owen Funkhouser
Email: ghsband@dafunks.com
Years in Band: 1989-1993
Instrument played: Clarinet
Personal Info: I'm married to a beautiful wife and have many children; one is human and the rest are furry, feathery, or slimy ... and to think about it, the human one is slimy at times too! I work as a software engineer for local engineering firm in Huntsville. I enjoy worshiping and serving at The Brook Church on Hwy 72. Life is good.

Upon graduation from Grissom, I sealed my clarinet and vowed to never play it again. But don't get me wrong, I enjoyed being in band. The technical aspect of music continues to inspire me and I still love going to concerts. In fact, just recently I had the joy of hearing the Jack Daniels Silver Cornet band up in Columbia. Band was good for me ... I have a true appreciation for the work that goes into putting on a performance. I acquired some work ethics. I learned about working as a team. All were great qualities to carry on into adulthood.

More information and pictures can be found on my web page: www.dafunks.com
Memory: There are many. But I'll never forget the day when Mr Vernon asked me in the middle of sectionals, "Owen, would you like to go to kinder care now?" Looking back, it isn't something to be proud of; but still, it is a memory that best describes who I was at that period in my life.
Updated: 04/10/07

Name: Kathy Furno
Email: kfurn@aol.com
Years in Band: 1980-1984
Instrument played: French horn