2004 Band History
John Powell, Band Historian
Saturday, February 14, LODB "The Big Show" pre-show The Centre, in downtown Evansville “The Big Show” was an amateur show for charity. The Little Old Dam Band played on a balcony near the entrance of The Centre to entertain patrons as they entered the building.
Saturday, March 13, 2004 at 8:45AM LODB Tri-State Athletic Club St. Patrick's Day Race Evansville Sunday,
April 4, 2004 at 2PM (Big Band) Dedication Ceremony, New Senior Citizen's Center --- Jefferson St., Newburgh, IN
Saturday, April 17, 2004 The highlight of the spring social season was the wedding of the band’s conductor, Jon Patton, to Tina Wedding at the Newburgh Presbyterian Church. A reception at the band’s house followed the ceremony.
Saturday, April 24 2 PM (Big Band) Children's Festival and Kite Day Angel Mounds Historical Site, Newburgh, IN
Saturday, May 1, Old Tennyson High School Reunion - The Little Band provided music for this reunion for anyone who ever attended the high school at Tennyson, Indiana
Friday, May 7, 2004 6-9PM LODB Spring "Cruise-In" Downtown Evansville, IN Saturday,
May 8, all afternoon First Annual Hillside Concert Old Dam Hillside Park, Newburgh, IN
Saturday, May 15, 2004 at 2:30 PM "Newburgh In Bloom" annual event, Downtown Newburgh, IN
Saturday, May 15, 2004 at 5-8PM LODB "Prime Rib Fund-Raiser" Masonic Lodge, Newburgh, IN
Sunday, May 16, 2004 all afternoon, (Both Bands) Spring Music Festival Old Dam Hillside Park, Newburgh, IN Saturday,
May 29, was a busy day for some musicians. The concert band played for the Memorial Day ceremony at Rose Hill Cemetery in the morning. The Little Old Dam Band played for a Weber family reunion and a strawberry festival later in the day.
Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 10:30 AM (Big Band) Memorial Day Service, Rose Hill Cemetery, Newburgh, IN
Saturday, May 29, 2004 Noon-2:30 LODB Weber Family Reunion, Midway, Indiana
Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 5 PM LODB Strawberry Festival, Newburgh Presbyterian Church
What’s Wrong With This Picture? 1. Tina Patton plays tenor Sax 2. Frank Book plays clarinet and 3. Nance Fiester plays drums!
Saturday, June 5, LODB "Community Days" United Federal Bank, Newburgh, Indiana
On June 9, 2004, six members of the Old Dam Community Band began a series of concerts in Newburgh, England, to help that village celebrate the 700th anniversary of its establishment as a trading center. The size of the group was reduced to six when the piano player, Jon Patton, suddenly needed eye surgery. With Tina’s help, he recovered but they could not make the trip.
June 9, 2004 "Community Concert" Post Office Porch, Newburgh, England, UK
Front Row: Frank Book, Wayne Fiester and Jim Sermersheim Back Row: John Powell, Ted Gore and Dan Schultz
June 10, 2004 Concert with the "Chicago Teddybears" Red Lion British Legion Club, Maghull, England, UK
June 11, 2004 Concert for "Sports Club" members
June 12 Lead the 700th Anniversary Parade, Newburgh, England, UK
Groupies handed out beads during Newburgh Fair parade as the band rode in a trailer and played music.
Shirley Porter, Rachelle Gore, Terri Schultz, Fran Powell and Carolyn Sermersheim
Sunday, July 4, 2004 at 7PM -dark (Big Band) Annual 4th of July Concert Old Lock and Dam Park, Newburgh
Saturday, July 10, 2004 Frank Book 50th Anniversary Party LODB
Sunday, July 11, 2004 at 12:30 PM LODB Folsomville School Reunion Boonville Jr. High School
Saturday, July 17, 2004 LODB Newburgh Arts Community "Boot Sale" Newburgh Old Dam Pagoda
Sunday, July 18, 2004 LODB St. John's United Church of Christ Homecoming and Church Anniversary 6th and Sycamore, Boonville, IN
Sunday, July 18, 2004 LODB John & Frances Powell’s 50th Anniversary Celebration Methodist Temple, 2109 Lincoln Ave. Evansville
Saturday, July 24, 2004 LODB Parkview Care Center, Evansville
Sunday, July 25, 2004 Indiana State Museum Grand Lobby, Indianapolis, IN The little band contributed to the museum’s theme of events of the nineteen twenties by playing music from that decade.
August 20, 2004 Friday after 5 at Owensboro. The Little Band was rained out after one hour of playing so nearly everyone retreated to the MoonLite Restaurant.
August 21, 2004 The Little Old Dam Band played for the Newburgh Arts Community’s boot sale. The Little Old Dam Band played for an Olde Car show at the Rathbone Retirement Home in Evansville on September 11 before going to the Band Fest.
The flyer reproduced here on two pages describes the free afternoon shows in the fourth annual Newburgh Band Fest. The night shows that made up the Newburgh Arts Council’s Jazz Fest began on Thursday night with a gospel concert at Saint John The Baptist Catholic Church. For five dollars the patrons heard the Browne Sisters, Sounds of Grace, Church of the Cross, Dove Chapel Choir and Stacie Sissom. The remaining presentations were at the main stage at the old lock and dam building and cost ten dollars each night. Rod McGaha, a jazz trumpeter from Nashville, Tennessee, opened the program on Friday night. Guitarist Michael Holloway concluded the Friday night show. On Saturday night, the Purdue University Jazz Band opened the program followed by the Browne Sisters.
Strutters at Band Fest 2004 Terri Schultz, Rachelle Gore & Ann Williams
Deja Vu
Jack King, John Wittenbraker, Glenn Katterhenry, Dave Matthews, Ron Attinger, Jim Sermersheim, Ken Horn, John Sakel, Ron and Sheryl Higgs
The Old Dam Band was the last to play in a great afternoon
September 16, 2004 Little Old Dam Band played for Children’s “Hands on Discovery” open house at Washington Square Mall.
September 18, 2004 Old Dam Concert Band played for “Arts In The Park” at Willard Library. Typical Booth of Art "Arts In the Park" Concert
September 26,2004 The Little Old Dam Band played for the class reunion of Jasper High School’s class of 1949. Jim Sermersheim is a member of that class.
September 26, 2004 The Old Dam Community Band played for the All-America City celebration on the grounds of the State Hospital in Evansville. Jim Fox conducted.
September 29, 2004 The Little Old Dam Band played during the cocktail hour of the Cites and Towns of Indiana Conference at the Executive Inn in Evansville. The sound was unique as Tom Rusche played soprano sax to augment the reed section. Wayne Fiester was away on a business trip and could not play trombone. Hugh Whittaker covered trombone parts with his baritone.
October 3, 2004 The Old Dam Concert Band played for the Great Pumpkin Metric Bicycle Day at the 4H Fairgrounds 11:30 - 1:00. Jon Patton and Jo Frohbeiter conducted.
October 3, 2004 The Little Old Dam Band played for the Rotary Outing in Sunset Park from 3:00 4:00.
October 16, 2004 The Old Dam Community Band played for the Tennyson, Indiana, Community Music Day.
October 17, 2004 The Little Old Dam Band played at the University of Southern Indiana as part of the Memory Walk for Alzheimers program.
October 30, 200, 2004 The Little Old Dam Band recorded a compact disk at the Song Bird Studio in Henderson.
November 2004 This item appeared in the November-December edition of “Evansville Living” magazine.
October 2004 - Jon Patton has formed a new combo that is not affiliated with the Old Dam Community Band but has three of its members. The group is called “Fine Wine”. They play very smooth and quiet arrangements of old standard tunes. The personnel consists of Jon Patton, Ted Gore, Sebastian Speranza and Wayne Talley. They are a pleasant contrast to the loud, rhythmic noise with obscene lyrics that passes for the currently popular music.
November 14, 2004 The band’s annual meeting, luncheon and concert was held at the old lock and dam building. The board members whose terms were expiring were reelected by acclamation. The board consists of Dan Schultz as president, Wayne Fiester is Vice President, Jon Patton is music director, Tina Patton is secretary, David Emory is treasurer, Jim Sermersheim, John Powell is historian, Jim Bolte conductor and Frank Book. President Schultz acknowledged a cash grant by ALCOA and donations of music by Nance Fiester, Jim Fox and Bryan Hartig.
December 3, 2003 The LODB played in downtown Newburgh as part of the First Friday program.
December 9, 2004 The LODB played for the Continental Towers Christmas Party at the Carousel Restaurant. The Emerys live at the Continental Towers and arranged our booking.
December 11, 2004 The LODB played at the Southwind Convalescent Center in Boonville and the big band played at the West Side Nut Club’s Santa Land on West Franklin Street in Evansville.
December 18. 2004 The LODB played at Parkview Convalescent Center in Evansville in the morning and Santa Land in the evening.
December 18, 2004 Jo Frohbeiter-Mueller hosted the entire band’s Christmas party in the evening.
December 19, 2004 The concert band again played at the Nut Club’s Santa Land in Evansville in spite of freezing temperatures.
December 22, 2004 The LODB played for the Newburgh Senior Citizens’ Christmas party at their building on Jefferson Street. Old Dam Community Band
Questionnaire Summary Cover Sheet
December 14, 2004
This summary is based on comments from 21 band members.
Some questions not answered are assumed to be ‘not applicable’.
1) Should The Band have minimum requirements to play?
19 are opposed to tryouts but thought through playing, everyone could improve.
2 would like to see tryouts but did not elaborate regarding standards.
2) What would you like to do to that would make The Band more interesting to you?
2 wanted harder music.
3 think things are fine as they are.
1 wanted more jazz music.
3 think we should publish a ‘rehearsal list’.
1 likes sight-reading.
1 suggested ‘feature pieces’ for the sections.
1 suggested that we do ‘fundraising’ concerts.
1 would like to play more contemporary pieces.
3) Is the level our music about what you think it should be? Too easy? Too hard?
17 think our current folder is OK… with a combination of easy material and also some very challenging ones.
2 think some tunes are too easy and most are not hard enough.
2 think some tunes are too easy but had no additional comment.
4) Should we spend time on warm-up & chorales? How much time?
9 suggested we do a warm-up but not exceeding 5 minutes.
3 suggested 10 minutes.
2 suggested at least 15 minutes of scales, chorales, and etudes.
7 think warm-ups are OK but ‘not for very long’.
5) Should we have mandatory attendance?
16 think there should not be a mandatory attendance policy.
2 said ‘yes’.
1 suggested two rehearsals a month and 80% of the gigs.
2 were not committed.
6) Should be have dues?
4 are opposed to dues.
3 think $50 a year would be appropriate.
1 suggested $50 a year for a regular member and $25 for a non-voting member.
11 think a ‘pitch in’ policy is fine.
2 would like to rely on fund raisers and grants.
7) Why do you come to band?
21 (overwhelming) indicated that they come for fun and fellowship. Most indicated that with time they will naturally become better players.
8) If you no longer come to band… is there anything we can to encourage you to come more often… or do you just have time restrictions?
6 had no comment (probably because they are usually always at band).
13 come when they can and say their absences are only due to other commitments.
1 said he would be at all rehearsals if they were held in Haubstadt!
1 suggested that some come ‘once in a while’ because they return just to see what is going on.
9) How important is it to you that we play public performances?
3 indicated that they don’t care if we perform or not.
2 think just a couple of performances a year would be adequate.
1 thinks we don’t do enough gigs.
1 thinks we are doing just fine.
14 think gigs are important.