"Jim Stingl | In My Opinion"
"Don McLean might call it the day the buzzing died.
"The One, the Only, the Original All Kazoo Band is breaking up after
34 years of organized chaos and many miles of marching in parades while
disguised as Groucho Marx.
"'I think we've aged ourselves out of existence,' said Trish Andrae, 68, a member from the beginning with her husband, Dan.
"'We don't have enough people to keep going,' said Chuck Wilkie, 70, who led the ragtag bunch since 1995.
"The group's final parade was in Wauwatosa last year for the Fourth of
July. For years, they made that trip down North Ave., sometimes rushing
over to West Allis with a police escort to march in another parade
there. They also appeared once or more in Cedarburg, Glendale,
Greendale, Milwaukee's City of Festivals Parade, the Illinois State
Fair, the Jerry Lewis telethon and on stage for the finale of 'The
Nutcracker.'
"The kazoo band was created in 1978 by Tom Jakubowski at Immaculate
Heart of Mary Catholic Church in West Allis. He led it until he died in
1994 at age 53.
"No musical talent was required, of course, and the band swelled to more than 100 members at its peak."
Read more: http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/groucho-kazoo-band-hanging-up-noses-775e66i-151637815.html
That is a great human interest story. Had I known about the existence of the band, I would have sought out a performance.
I believe they may have performed in our parade? My failing memory tells me that I've seen them... hmmm.
ReplyDeleteYeah KK... I think I saw them right before Herb Kohl. lol
ReplyDeleteBefore Herb Kohl? Double lol
ReplyDeleteI just read that they started to repackage candy boxes in theaters so people can't make kazoos out of them. Too funny. I can remember doing that.
ReplyDeleteKazoos are kool.
ReplyDeleteThat is awesome!
ReplyDelete