The thoughts of a journalist/libertarian–conservative/Christian husband, father, Eagle Scout and aficionado of obscure rock music. Thoughts herein are only the author’s and not necessarily the opinions of his family, friends, neighbors, church members or past, present or future employers.
Search Results for: UW Band
Regular readers know about my recent and longer-term association with the UW Marching Band, whose director, Mike Leckrone, retired after 50 years directing the band. (About which, for a great perspective on what we learned, read this.) Well, almost no one is irreplaceable. (ABC Radio tried to replace Paul Harvey and then gave up.) And … Continue reading The new director
An outstanding newspaper wrote a story and a column about last weekend’s UW Band concerts. If you look toward the lower right of the screen you will see more evidence that I did actually play: Another band alum posted about the first time he met Mike Leckrone. Since my parents are football season-ticket-holders … Continue reading A week after eating a rock
Ask me about the ’80s, and I’ll show you what I was doing: Madison.com on the big event tonight through Saturday night: He has thought long and hard about what to say to the thousands attending the UW Varsity Band spring concerts this week at the Kohl Center. Spectators want more than a show. They … Continue reading Three more times
On Wisconsin magazine, which we UW alumni get: As he had done at the end of countless UW Marching Band practices, director Mike Leckrone stood on top of a ladder on a hot, sunny August afternoon. The band’s veterans, along with rookies who had just won a coveted spot, crowded around to listen. It had … Continue reading The last Camp Randall whistle
Madison.com: It’s not yet 7 a.m. and students gather at UW-Madison’s practice field, shivering in the dark. Without a word from their leader, and while most of their classmates are still asleep, the 260-some members of the UW Marching Band come to attention, ready to rehearse. “Gooooood morning, Elm Drive!” band director Michael Leckrone’s voice … Continue reading The last pregame, halftime and Fifth Quarter
The Badger Herald (for which I wrote a bit while in college): “Right, left, pivot.” 83 year-old band director Professor Michael Leckrone hollered at the University of Wisconsin Marching Band as they rehearsed for their Sept. 30 performance at Lambeau Field. The band followed Leckrone’s directions, and their shoes made a “slosh” sound against the … Continue reading 50 years of drive
One of the first blog entries when this blog began in 2011 was “Adventures in radio,” chronicling such events as driving four hours to do a game and then driving back the same night, driving 800 miles over two days to cover four games, announcing games from the top of a ravine, losing your partner … Continue reading Adventures in radio: The 2010s
At the end of the first week of 2018 UW Marching Band rehearsals … … came this announcement Saturday: Michael Leckrone, longtime director of the University of Wisconsin–Madison Marching Band, announced today that he will step down at the end of the 2018-19 academic year. He made the announcement to the band following rehearsal. Students … Continue reading The impending end of an era
My efforts to avoid political advertising around elections meant I missed this … … specifically this shot: That is future Sauk County Circuit Judge and state Supreme Court candidate Michael Screnock, a tuba player in the UW Marching Band (whose annual concerts in the Kohl Center are April 19–21, by the way) while I was a … Continue reading When your past comes back to amuse you
UW Marching Band director Mike Leckrone had this to say at the band’s 2017 banquet: Leckrone and his wife, Phyllis, had been together since seventh grade. They were married for 61 years. Mike has been the UW Band director for 49 years. When Phyllis died I wrote that parents’ dying is the natural order of … Continue reading Teaching life lessons after graduation
