ALL-AMERICAN COLLEGE BAND
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We played 35 shows a week, had groupies, and got to
perform with celebrities. It was worth shaving for. (Burger
King is the only other employer that ever asked me to
shave my beard. I decided it wasn't worth it and quit after
three hours.)
perform with celebrities. It was worth shaving for. (Burger
King is the only other employer that ever asked me to
shave my beard. I decided it wasn't worth it and quit after
three hours.)
Fellow 1986 Alums
John Hagstrom
Rich Stichler
John Hagstrom
- Quiet but funny John Hagstrom was one of my roommates at Disney, and I'm pretty sure
he still owes me for the last phone bill ... He awed everyone with his command of
classical technique. And despite his summer in red, white and blue polyester, he
managed to return to classical music with dignity. With the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
in fact.
- "Big John," as he was introduced every day, played baritone sax and was a consistently
funny and fun friend, and remains so to this day. I'm fortunate that he lives only a few
minutes away from me and we've stayed in touch for the past 20 years. While at Disney
together we made middle-of-the-night treks to Winchell's Donuts and competed to see
who was worse at pool. Watching us shoot 8-Ball together would have been painful for
anyone; it was a drawn out duel of two really bad players. Today Jonathan teaches
elementary band at a private school in New York and plays reeds on Broadway. He
finished a run of "Fiddler on the Roof" not long ago and just began "Les Miserable."
Rich Stichler
- I lost track of him right away, but recently bumped into his bio on the Web. He was one of
our trombone players and a gung-ho member of the band, always ready to put on a
show. He's one of the handful of alums who continued a career in music.
- "Tomaaaaatoe Head!" he called me. But I liked him anyway. Kenan was (and probably
is) the finest rudimental drummer I've ever heard. I can vividly recall his endless
practicing. The rest of us would take breaks. Kennan would fine tune his chops: on the
snare drum, a sidewalk, a practice pad, whatever was handy. No wonder he had chops
for days. He was also wild and funny. It was an honor and an education to play along
side him.
Local entertainment reporter John Tibbits made his way to
Anaheim just to shoot this segment for KCTV news
featuring me and two other Kansas City-area members of
the 1986 All-American College Band.
Anaheim just to shoot this segment for KCTV news
featuring me and two other Kansas City-area members of
the 1986 All-American College Band.
It's hard to pack Mickey Mouse ears, and I brought home
17 pair in a carry-on bag for family and friends at the end of
my Disney summer. Here's a picture where the entire
family felt silly.(I still have that bass drum head, by the
way.)
17 pair in a carry-on bag for family and friends at the end of
my Disney summer. Here's a picture where the entire
family felt silly.(I still have that bass drum head, by the
way.)
| "Bubbles Was A Cheerleader" |
| All content © Copyright 2006, 2007 by John Armato unless otherwise indicated. Content may be freely excerpted with attribution for nonprofit use. All other uses by permission only. Just ask me. I'll probably say yes. |
