By Ralph Holibaugh
The history of America is dotted with examples of “family bands” made up of spouses, their children, and relatives who made music together in vocal and instrumental groups or a combination thereof. Each band had a focus. Following the Civil War, the Alliance City Band was started by Charles, Columbus, and Foster Haines, an early family band in Alliance. But the original members of the ACB also included the Barniby brothers, Joshua and William.
While more research is needed because sources are sometimes incorrect or incomplete, many families have contributed a cavalcade of more than one musician in the 20th century to the ACB, eg., Baughman, Best, Beutler, Bowers, Calladine, Daniels, Davis, Donaldson, Ellis, Fites, Forbes or Forbs, Gehret, Howenstine, Hubbard, Johnson, Jones, Kropf, Marini, McDonal(d), Mil(l)ner, Parks, Rogers, Smallwood, Stevens, and Trott.
The Smallwood family whom I performed with in the latter 1950’s had the distinction of contributing family members from three generations to the ACB with their brass players, Harry M. “Bud,” H. M., Jr., and Todd playing Alto Horn, Sousaphone, and Baritone.
All of the names above are part of an entire constellation of musicians who were directors, soloists, and the ensemble players who were the visible fabric and structure of the ACB. But a volunteer band always has some of its members also serving behind the scenes in a wide variety of roles. I’m thinking of those who serve on the organization’s elected board like trumpeter-President, Bob Snodgrass, or its committee members, and librarians who keep the conductor’s score and all the individual parts in order, sometimes acquiring replacements for those that are lost. There are people who serve as band secretaries such as Eb Alto Horn player Charlie Moushey who feed minutes to archivists and those, in turn, can form the stuff of band histories. There are those who communicate band events and activities to the public. We see newspaper clippings based on their work, and program notes about sponsors, and the results of tireless fundraisers that provide the infrastructure to a band’s organization, to its sociology.
So as one sits back to listen to the music and admire the skills of the conductor, the musicians present and past of varying abilities, and the volunteers we don’t see, we should recognize this entire constellation that has brought a band performance for our enjoyment.
[Pictured above: Family members Daniel Braid, James Braid, and Richard Howenstine, all members of the Alliance City Band pose with their instruments and relative Edward, shown in his WWI uniform. Photo courtesy of Alan Howenstine]