Known as the “March
King,”
John Philip Sousa was one of America’s most famous composers and band leaders, composing over 100 marches including “The Stars and Stripes Forever,” the official march of the United States. Sousa was born in Washington, DC on November 6, 1854. He began studying music when he was six, and when he was 13, his father enlisted him in the marines after he tried to join a circus band. Almost 10 years later, Sousa was discharged from the marines and began performing and touring with his violin. Eventually, he began conducting theater orchestras.
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This led to a job leading the US Marine Band. From 1880 to 1892, Sousa conducted "The President's Own", serving under presidents Hayes, Garfield, Cleveland, Arthur and Harrison. After two successful but limited tours with the Marine Band in 1891 and 1892, promoter David Blakely convinced Sousa to resign and organize a civilian concert band. After two successful tours, John organized his own band. The first Sousa Band concert was performed in September 1892 at Stillman Music Hall in Plainfield, New Jersey. Two days earlier, bandleader Patrick Gilmore had died in St. Louis. Nineteen of Gilmore's former musicians eventually joined Sousa's band, including Herbert L. Clarke (cornet) and E. A. Lefebre (saxophone). The original name of the band was "Sousa's New Marine Band", but criticism from Washington forced the withdrawal of the name. They toured
Europe several times and were the first American band to tour around the world.
When World War I broke out, Sousa wanted to serve. In 1917, he joined the United States Naval Reserve at age 62 and was paid a salary of $1 a month. After the war, Sousa continued to tour with his band, championing the cause of music education, garnering several honorary degrees and fighting for composer’s rights. Sousa died at age 77 on March 6, 1932 after conducting a rehearsal of the Ringgold Band in Reading, Pennsylvania. The last piece he conducted was “Stars and Stripes Forever.” Of this, his most enduring work, critics have said that millions of Americans rise to their feet every year to celebrate its “crashing cymbals, bombastic brass and chirping piccolos.” Clearly, Sousa has left a grand legacy that will make each new generation of Americans proud to say they are citizens of the United States.
