2008 Woodie Awards
Heartland Band to perform
Issue date: 10/30/03 Section: News
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The local American Legion post is sponsoring a Veteran's and Patriot Parade at 10 a.m. on Main Street, and the Garden City Telegram is teaming up with Garden City Community College to host a 7 p.m. concert by the United States Air Force Heartland of America Band.
"This is something we're really looking forward to," said Bruce Spiller, Garden City Municipal Band conductor. "The parade should start the day off with a real patriotic American flair, and the Air Force band will be here to keep up the spirit with their concert that evening."
The Heartland of America Band, which has earned a reputation across the nation for outstanding performances and recordings, will appear in Clifford Hope Auditorium at Garden City High School.
The concert band, commanded and conducted by Major A. Phillip Waite, is stationed at Offutt Air Force Base, near Omaha, Neb. The 60-member unit handles classical to contemporary selections, as well as jazz, rock and country music. The group, and components from it, perform more than 450 concerts each year.
Guests who have appeared with the group from time to time include 11-time Grammy nominated jazz pianist and composer Frank Mantooth, Garden City; Kevin Mahogany, who has appeared twice at the Garden City Jazz festival; Crystal Gayle, the late John Denver, Chip Davis and Frederick Fennell.
While it tours much of the nation each year, the band's primary geographical area includes Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Wyoming and the Dakotas.
The unit makes a number of radio and TV appearances each year too, as well as recordings. It was viewed by 10 million people when performing for a ceremony unveiling a Vietnam Veteran's Memorial replica in Omaha, Neb., called "The Wall That Heals."
The Heartland of America Band has earned four Air Force Outstanding Unit awards, and an equal number of Air Force Organizational Excellence Awards. The group also received four musical excellence citations by the John Phillip Sousa Foundation, and was recognized as the only Air Force music unit deployed throughout the entire area of responsibility in support of troop morale during Operation Desert Shield.
In 1995, the band was named a World War II Commemorative Community award recipient for support of activities marking the 50th anniversary of the allied victory.