June 14, 2015

THE 2015 SUMMER SEASON CONTINUES - - - - KING BAND SALUTED FLAG DAY:

     The Karl L. King Municipal Band of Fort Dodge continued their 2015 summer concert season on Sunday evening, June 14, with a concert at the Karl L. King Band Shell in Oleson Park.   Conductor of the Karl L. King Municipal Band is Jerrold P. Jimmerson, and the Assistant Conductor is Dr. David Klee.  Thanks to the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church for selling homemade ice cream and fresh-baked cake as people gathered for the concert.

“This concert commemorated several milestones in America’s history”, statted conductor Jimmerson.   In 1865, 150 years ago, the Civil War ended and Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.   Many selections provided a slice of pure Americana, with a variety of patriotic and folk songs on the program.  The King Band performed Jerry Bilik’s collection of familiar American songs, “American Civil War Fantasy”, Andrew Glover’s exciting arrangement of “Those In Peril on the Sea”, based on the Navy Hymn, and Samuel A. Ward’s moving hymn, “America, the Beautiful”.    This American standard debuted in 1910, combining the words of a poem by Katherine Lee Bates with the hymn written earlier by Ward.   In 1970, Ward was inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame.

This concert featured many patriotic selections to celebrate Flag Day, including “Emblem of Freedom” by Karl L. King, and “Abraham Lincoln” by Edwin Franko Goldman.  Dr. Klee conducted "Abraham Lincoln".

Tunes on the lighter side included a medley of Glenn Miller classics, including “Tuxedo Junction”, “Jersey Bounce”, “American Patrol”, and “Little Brown Jug”, titled “A Tribute to Glenn Miller”.   Recognition was made to members from our military and their families with the playing of the “Armed Forces Salute”.

Persons attending this Sunday’s concert were encouraged to bring small American flags to wave at appropriate times during the concert.   George Mack, a Jolley area resident, provided flags that he had donated.