Soprano	1973 - 1977

Hi Everyone !
 
This is Carol Ann (Schaffer-Austin) Fallon, I recently learned that I am being inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame. This is truly an Honor for me and I would like to share the news with the members of the Sunrisers (both past and present).

Of course, with the Sunrisers, I became the first female to play a soprano solo in senior drum corps, which will always be very special to me, along with so many great memories. I will always be thankful to the Sunrisers for being the first at so many things. They were the first to allow females into senior corps for which I will always be greatful.

During my years with the Sunrisers, I have more memories to treasure than most have in a lifetime. I have friendships which will last forever and friends that I will never forget. I had some of the best instructors in Drum Corps History, John Sasso, Gene Bennett, Screech, Ray Fallon, Pete Emmons, Teddy Sasso, Freddy Sasso, Pete China and many others.

This entry into the NJ Hall of Fame has stirred up my memory machine and I am taking this time to remember so many great times during my Drum Corps History. I want to share with everyone the new and old memories that I am still young enough to remember....

• Rehersals with 14 horns at Flatbush, in Hangers with No Bathrooms.
• My Meatballs - and the effects they had on the entire corps at a Flatbush rehearsal (passing around Kaopectate^TM between songs).
• Thinking the first night of camp was going to be called off and getting drunk at dinner, then having to return to find a rehersal with God (John Sasso).
• Partys at the Sasso's home.
• Tieing Stan (Cement Head) to a tree.
• Finding my car relocated to the Sasso's front lawn during a party.
• Our Corps softball games and picnics.
• Of course, the naked bus-rides.
• Refusing to put my hair up until Nick put his up, and holding up a show.
• Rainy rehearsals at Hofstra University.
• Being the first Sunriser female to wear bikini tops to rehersals.
• The saying "She was married before and you know what that means"!
• Making dinner for the boarders at Freddy Sasso's.
• More parties than I can remember.
• My party in Long Beach.
• Being pregnant at rehearsals (but always thinner than many of the guys).
• My nursing breaks (20 mins. every 4 hours) with Kevin in '77.
• Playing Leap Frog (walking on aching backs) during rehearsals.
• Playing my first Sunriser Solo and feeling so honored.
• Party's at "Danny's Place" in Long Beach.
• Kidnapping John Sasso with a few others to talk him into returning to the corps.
• The Girls in the guard (who hated me at first).
• The Delaney Sisters.
• How the entire corps used to stick together and party after every event.
• How hard we worked through the years to get the Sunrisers to the '77 Championships.
• All the great times with Pete and Patty China, Freddy, Ray Fallon, Mike Delorenzo, Vinnie (the Snake), John and Mary, George Nobel, Dennis Plant, Donna and Tim, Mary Useless, Kay, Junior, and Gary Williams, Stan, Mike Hart, Teddy and Marge Sasso, and so many others.
• Horseback riding adventures and mooning the highway (especially telling everyone that my butt was really Diane Delaney's). Watching Screech and Freddy having trouble walking afterwards.
• So many great times laughing and laughing 'till we cried.
• Kicking so many of the Top 5's butts for the first time in years and how great it felt.
• Knowing that if we stuck together, we would eventually win.
• Playing "Spain" and how everyone loved it.
• The challenge of playing "Procession of the Nobles".
• The pride in playing "The Joker".
• Always proud to be a Sunriser.

OK, I could write a book and the Sunrisers chapter would surely be a favorite. I am going to give you a short bit of my Drum Corps History that I want to share with the new (and old) Sunrisers.

I was often teased about marching with several corps. In fact, I spent a few years with my first corps, the "Bellaires" of Bellmawr, New Jersey (age 5 to 9). Then my father took me to the "Belle's of St. Mary's", of Gloucester, NJ where I marched for 13 years (my last season was as a Drum Major at age 22). During my last couple of years there, I attempted to get into Senior Corps. I had several friends in the Hurricanes, Cabs, Skyliners, etc. In 1973,     I     joined the Long Island Sunrisers, who at the time were the only senior corps accepting females in the horn and drum lines. I marched there starting when they were at the bottom and was a part of taking them to their first DCA Championship in 1977 and became the first female to play a soprano solo in senior corps history.

After that, I became a "Connecticut Hurricane", I was always very proud to be a member of the Hurricanes. I know having me there during most of my child bearing years wasn't easy for many of them to accept, but I had the respect of many and they became my Drum Corps Family for many years. The Corps shared many great times with me (the births of Danny and Tamara) and helped me thru the loss of two pregnancy's during my "9" years as a Hurricane. Also, I became the First Female to play a Soprano Solo in the Connecticut Hurricanes in the '81 Championship Corps. This was an honor that I will always treasure. When my youngest brother died in December of '81, my family moved back to New Jersey to help with his two children, 1 ½ and 3 years old. I will always have great respect for Ray Fallon Sr., as a teacher and arranger. I give him a lot of credit for helping to take the Sunrisers and the Hurricanes back to champion status. Without his support and the support of my chidren, I could have never been able to continue to keep marching through the years.

The travel back and forth for rehearsals became too hard so, in '83 I made the decision to march with the "New York Skyliners". My years as a Skyliner were '83 and '84. It was also a longtime dream to be a part of the NY Skyliners. I was there during the "Dream Girls" shows which were great fun. I even got to be a part of the "Dream Girls Feature as a Soprano". I'm sure that was also a first there. I had so many great times as a Skyliner. I loved having Hy Dreitzer, Bucky Swan and Larry Kerchner as instructors and I will always treasure my years and memories there.

I returned to the "Connecticut Hurricanes" in '85 and remained there until 1990 when my family moved back to South Jersey.

I was the "first female" asked to join the "Hawthorne Caballero's" as a soprano player, but at the time I was in the hospital after loosing a pregnancy. In 1990 I was again invited to join the "Hawthorne Caballero's". After spending so many years as a female who wasn't even allowed into the Cab's practice room, this was another dream come true for me. I loved marching with Jimmy Russo and so many of the guys who I had been friends with for so many years (twenty years prior). Mike Longo was one of the great instructors during my years marching. I was also honored that he made me part of a soprano feature which was probably another first for the Cabs. I also spent my winters with "The Archer-Epler Muskateers" of Upper Darby, Pa. performing in the indoor shows which I always enjoyed and doing some of their summer performances.

When my first born, Kevin Fallon, started his DCI career with the Crossmen, after spending some time with Archer-Epler's junior corps and Jersey Surf with his siblings, it was time for me to start placing my children's desires to march as a priority. In '92, I then took Daniel, Tamara and Little Ray to the "Harrison Bushwackers" with me. Tamara was an excellent performer after her first year with Winter "Black Watch", and having spent a lot of time around the Hurricanes, Skyliners and Cabs, she was welcomed into Bush by the guard instructors and members as was Danny welcomed into the soprano line. We had a great time marching together, and it was apparent to all that the Bushwackers were heading to another DCA win. During the season, when the adminstration realized that Tamara was only 10, they asked her to leave. It was really hard for her, but the "Boston Crusaders" welcomed Tamara and Danny in. I guess it was just meant to be. Kevin joined up with me at Bush as a needed Contra Player after his DCI season and we got to win my 2nd DCA Championship and his first DCA Championship together. It was a great season and will always be a treasured memory.

In '93, I got Lyme Disease while photographing Deer in the fields of Lancaster Country, Pa. That ended my competing years in drum corps. After that, I became a Drum Corps Mom and instructor while ALL four of my children marched in the Boston Crusaders and then also a Blue Devil Mom when   Kevin   and Danny moved out to California to march.

I will always be so unbelievably proud of my children and my Drum Corps Family. I feel that we all always gave 150% no matter where we marched.

Kevin   aged out in '98 and is in the "Blue Devil Hall of Fame", Danny   aged out in 2000 and is in the "Blue Devil Hall of Fame". Tamara   aged out of the "Boston Crusaders" in 2002, after winning many awards in her age out year as "Crusader of the Year".   Ray Jr.   (not at all so little anymore), aged out of the "Boston Crusaders" in 2004 after winning many awards and also in his age out year was "Crusader of the Year".

So, as you can imagine, my being inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame is surely an honor for me. Who knows what drum corps has in store for myself, my children and now even my grandchildren. One thing I do know is that I will always treasure my years in drum corps and my drum corps family will always be there for me, just as we will always be there for them. I have gotten to share in so many amazing times in drum corps history from 1954 to present. (and plan on being around for many, many years to come!!!)

I wish the Sunrisers only the best in all they attempt and I love receiving letters from members of my Drum Corps Family. The Sunrisers will surely be an important part of my past and the performer and person I am.