I first joined drum corps in 1959 at the age of 8 with the Smithtown Plebes Drum & Bugle Corps and moved up to the Freelancers in 1961 as a solo soprano. I got a mention in Drum Corps World for my solo in Old Man River.

My life was the Freelancers, my mother was president of the Parents Club, and my sister was Color Guard Captain when they won the New York State Championships for winter guard in 1959.

My brother Chuck was in and out of the corps until we started a boy’s winter guard comprised of members of the horn and drum line of the Summer Corps.

I moved up to the Sunrisers with, Wayne Downy, Nick Yaworski, Judy Foster and Brad Blair to continue my horn playing while teaching drill to The Knights of Huntington drum corps and their winter color guard. We were the first guard to use taped music. The music was of course, Procession of the Nobles and Russian Saber Dance.

I then helped form the first independent guard on Long Island, the La Quaterguier and assisted my brother with the Linden-airs Color Guard and assisted Frank Dorritie with their horn line.

In 1973 I joined the National Judges Association as a Marching and Color Guard judge.
In 1974 I moved to Baltimore to teach The Geutineairs Winter Guard and the DC Youth Center Statesmen Drum and Bugle Corps with Richard Gabriel.
In 1976 I taught the Yankee Rebels with Gary Chapinski and Truman Crawford.
In 1977 I moved to Oregon to teach the Salem Aragon's Winter Guard and with Gary Chapinski, their summer corps. I was staff coordinator and tour manager with Dave Hill on brass, Allen Christianson on percussion and Howard Holley as director. The Corps placed 21st at DCI missing the Album by 1 tenth.

On the bright side, this is where I met Meiko, my wife of 28 years. She played lead soprano and I swear Howard told me she was only 20.

In 1978 I taught the Vancouver Spartans with Dave Hill on brass and Allen Plume on percussion.
In 1979 I taught the Longview Marauders and the Seattle Imperials.

I retired from Drum Corps in 1980 when my first son was born and came back with my wife Meiko to play Baritone and Mellophone respectively with The Selden Cadets Alumni Corps and the Lambertville Volunteers.

I attended every rehearsal and performance that the Sunriser Alumni Corps has had and hope to attend more.

My brother, Chuck Hedling, marched as Drum Major in 1972 and 1973. He died in 1982. He was a National Judges Association and DCI Judge until 1980.

• • •  Paul Hedling