National guard army band visits the county

By PHIL FAUVER Staff writer

The 23rd Army Band of the Utah National Guard came to Castle Dale and entertained more than 200 people July 7. The concert was free to everyone. The band entertained the people with patriotic music and fun skits. This 40 member 23rd Army Band is stationed at E. J. Garn Aviation Armory in West Jordan.
Emery County residents who attended were pleased the event took place in the pavilion at Castle Dale’s Fairgrounds which is under the direction of the Emery County Recreation District. The pavilion now has an enclosed stage and lighting. For this outdoor event the weather cooperated with a warm evening and by not raining. Emery County Commissioner Laurie Pitchforth introduced the band and thanked them for coming to our area.
The 23rd Army Band started off the evening with a rock band concert made up of four men with electric guitars and one man on the drums playing popular songs. All four of the guitar players sang a variety of songs during that part of the show. Sgt. Drew Howell was announcer for the evening. Chief Warrant Officer Denny Saunders conducted the band.
The first number played was the Spirit of Liberty written by John Phillip Sousa which he first played at the Lafayette Monument in Paris France on July 4, 1900. This monument was presented on behalf of the children of the United States.
Then the Star Spangled Banner was played to a standing reverent audience. This was followed with Yankee Doodle, When Johnny Comes Marching Home and Shenandoah. The short musical skit, using a tuba for the sound was about a grumpy old bear just waking from a long nap of hibernation and was quite entertaining.
Sgt. Lisa Blodgett conducted the band through an overture of melodies composed by Leonard Bernstein. Sgt. Howell announced that the band was on Facebook as the 23 Army band and if you liked the band and wrote on the 23rd Army Band wall as you listened you could win a prize for the evening. The 23rd Army Rock Band came back on stage and sang a song about a brown eyed girl. The song was dedicated to all brown eyed girls in the audience.
Chief Saunders announced that there was in the audience a former commander of the band in attendance. Chief Saunders invited the former Commander of the band, Ralph Vanderlinden currently living in Price to come forward and conduct the band in one of John Phillip Sousa’s marching songs. Vanderlinden lives in Price with his daughter. They are the owners of the KOAL Radio Station.
Staff Sgt. Ben Jacobson with several cell phones made a presentation of irritating cell phone ringtones that interrupt concerts and meetings he was accompanied by the band. The 23rd Army Band next took the audience to Dixie Land jazz music from New Orleans songs like Basin Street Blues, Bill Bailey and When The Saints Come Marching In.
Zachary Parlo was announced winner of a prize for writing on the wall of the 23rd Army Band, Facebook page. Sgt. Howell also announced winners as Jim Jackson and Lisa Parlo. It is a tradition of military concerts to honor all those men and women who have answered the call of duty. During the Armed Forces Medley all those that had served or had family members that had served or are currently serving were asked to stand. The song for each branch of service was played.
Sgt. Howell talked about the time the American Flag was found in the rubble of the Trade Center and what it meant to him and many in the nation. Sgt. Saunders in conclusion thanked the audience for being a wonderful audience. This was followed by the band playing America The Beautiful.
After the concert, Commissioner Pitchforth commented that she thought the concert was absolutely wonderful, an amazing fabulous concert. “We are all blessed that we had a chance to see them. I am glad that we had a great crowd and God bless them for serving our country and for going around touring, thus giving us the opportunity to hear them and participate in this patriotic program.” She also thanked the Recreation District for they are the ones that pulled this together. Gaylee Jeffs the director of the Emery County Recreation District said, of the band, “They were wonderful, I have not heard such a good band for a very long time. It was very entertaining not only to adults but to children as well. I saw children dancing around to the music and having fun. It was very diverse music and they were wonderful to work with. They were very polite and kind.”
Lisa Parlo the wife of Lenard Parlo won a free T-shirt. Lisa’s son Zachary also won a T-shirt from the 23rd Army Band. Lisa said, “We absolutely loved the concert we loved the classic band the most. We loved all the patriotic music.”