Railmen Drum and Bugle Corps (1939–1995)

For the current alumni corps of the same name, see Railmen Drum and Bugle Corps (2013).
Railmen Drum and Bugle Corps
(1939-1995)
Location Omaha, Nebraska
Founded 1939
Folded 1995
Website http://www.therailmen.com/

The Railmen Drum and Bugle Corps (1939–1995) is a defunct competitive junior drum and bugle corps. Based in Omaha, Nebraska, the Railmen folded after the 1995 season.[1]

History

The Railmen were formed in 1939 as the Union Pacific Drum and Bugle Corps. a musical activity for children of employees of the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) under director Chris Jensen. The group was to perform in parades and other events as representatives of the UP, and it made its first appearance in Omaha during "Golden Spike Days," a four-day celebration of the world premier of the Cecil B. DeMille film, Union Pacific. Under Jensen, and his successor Ken Whittle,t he corps continued as a combination corporate public relations device and activity for employees children for forty-five years.[2]

When Whittle assumed leadership in 1971, the corps started a gradual to transition to a competitive junior field corps. In 1983, the corps began accepting non-UP members, and the corps made its competitive debut in 1983, performing at a single show in Omaha. Becoming a touring corps in 1984, the Railmen performed at seven Drum Corps Midwest (DCM) and DCI shows. They made their first DCI Championship appearance at Madison in 1985, placing seventh of nineteen Class A corps.[3]

The corps quickly became a crowd favorite, but the UP was dissatisfied with the corps' new identity. The budgets were cut back, and then the UP terminated its sponsorship in 1988. The corps converted to a non-profit youth organization under new director Shane Macklin. However, fundraising in the Omaha area was difficult, since the public perception was that the corps was still sponsored by the UP. By 1994, the corps became unable to field a junior corps and marched a senior corps in a much-reduced season. The junior corps returned in 1995, but the small corps was able to finish only 14th of thirty-two corps at DCM and 13th of forty-one Division III corps at the DCI World Championships in Buffalo.[3] With no funds and little success in raising more, the corps' board decided to fold the corps after the 1995 season.[2]

Show Summary(1985–95)

Source=[4]

Gold background indicates DCI Championship; pale blue background indicates DCI Class Finalist; pale green background indicates DCI semifinalist.

Year Theme Repertoire Score Result
1983–84 Repertoires unavailable
1985 Repertoire unavailable 77.900 7th Class A
1986 Repertoire unavailable 84.300
62.600 		3rd Class A
20th Open Class
1987 Repertoire unavailable 85.000
63.100 		3rd Class A
16th Open Class
1988 The Fire and the Flame by Vic Schoen / Don't Rain on My Parade (from Funny Girl) by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill /
Mira, Mira by Matt Harris / I Have Dreamed (from The King and I) by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II 		73.400 10th Class A
1989 Am I Blue? by Harry Akst and Grant Clarke / Blue Skies by Irving Berlin / Why Not? by Michel Camilo / 'Round Midnight by Thelonious Monk 84.900
61.50 		4th Class A
25th Open Class
1990 I Can Cook Too (from On the Town) by Leonard Bernstein / When I First Saw You (from Dreamgirls) by Henry Krieger and Tom Eyen /
A Little Travelin' Music by Benny Davis, Jackie Gleason, and Murray Mencher /
Siciliano (from Flute Sonata E flat Major) by Johann Sebastian Bach 		83.900
59.700 		5th Class A
20th Open Class
1991 Cruisin' for a Bluesin' by Andy Wiener / Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered (from Pal Joey) by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart /
Festival de Ritmo by Dave Weckl and Jay Oliver / Bridge Over Troubled Water by Paul Simon 		85.000 7th Class A
1992 On the Other Hand by Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz / Suite Sandrine by Michel Camilo / The Embrace by John Scofield /
He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother by Bobby Scott and Bob Russell 		72.500 12th Div. II
1993 Blue Skies by Irving Berlin / Come Rain or Come Shine (from St. Louis Woman) by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer /
Storm (Original drum feature) / Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me by Elton John and Bernie Taupin 		85.300 7th Div. II
1994 Tower of Power What is Hip? by Emilio Castillo, Stephen "Doc" Kupka, and David Garibaldi /
You're Still a Young Man & Soul with a Capital S by Emilio Castillo and Stephen "Doc" Kupka /
Sparkling in the Sand by Emilio Castillo, Lawrence J. Lopez, and Steve "Doc" Kupka
1995 Impressions of a
Global Village 		Daybreak by Chieli Minucci / Saya (Traditional) / Casmir by Al Di Meola / Africa by Robert W. Smith 78.900 13th Div. III

References

  1. ↑ A History of Drum & Bugle Corps, Vol. 2; Steve Vickers, ed.; Drum Corps World, pub.; 2003
  2. 1 2 "Union Pacific Railmen celebrate 75th Anniversary, plan start-up of alumni and junior corps". Drum Corp World. August 20, 2013. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Score History Listing for Railmen". Maher Associate, Inc. Retrieved May 10, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Song History for Railmen". Maher Associates, Inc. Retrieved May 10, 2015.
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