History - 1977 to 1986

Band and Orchestra History Overview | 1922 | 1937 | 1947 | 1957 | 1967 | 1977 | 1987 | 1997

1977
March - LHS Band 50th Anniversary Concert; Ron Sherry, Director; Joseph Ricapito, Guest Conductor
April - Dogwood Arts Festival, Knoxville, Tennessee, 1st place - parade
May - Phillies baseball game
Nov. - King Frost Parade, Hamburg, Pa, 1st place - parade

1978
April - St. Petersburg Festival of States, 3rd place - field show
Aug. - Liberty's 2nd Assistant Band Director, Greg MacGill, arrives.
Sept. - Miss America Parade, Atlantic City, 1st place
Oct. - Jets/Cards football game
- King Frost Parade, Hamburg, 1st place
- New Holland Parade, 1st place
Nov. - A sink hole that opened and threatened to "swallow up" the lab center and stadium, wreaked havoc on life as we know it here at Liberty H.S. Classes were moved to the Commons Building and Classroom Center, and the football games to Lehigh University's Taylor Field. This also created a headache for Ray Hoffert and his concession stand crew (or "hustlers" as they were known). The minutes read: "Because the three remaining games could not be played at the stadium, the concession stands had a large supply of stock left. Mr. Hoffert was able to deplete most of it by selling it to Lehigh U. and returning some to the distributor." [Thanks for coming to the rescue, again, Ray!]

1979
April - LHS Orchestra exchange with Eastview Secondary School, Barrie, Ontario
May - Preakness Parade, Baltimore - the parade was rained out; after weeks of practice, the Band was treated to a soggy, overnight hotel stay in Washington, D.C., with no performance.
Sept. - Miss America Parade, Atlantic City, Honor Band (260 Members)
Oct. - New Holland Parade

1980
April - Dogwood Arts Festival, Knoxville, Tennessee, 1st place - stage band
- LHS Orchestra exchange with Massapequa, New York
Sept. - The band broke tradition, departing from a field show format comprised exclusively of block drill. The minutes read: "He [Ron Sherry] made mention of the band using a curvilinear form this year instead of the usual straight lines."
Nov. - Lehigh University/James Madison Football Game

1981
April - St. Petersburg Festival of States - 1st place, parade; this was the first time a band had won the Governor's Cup on three separate occasions.  (photos: Festival of States, St. Petersburg Times)
May - LHS Orchestra exchange with Massapequa, NY
Sept. -Miss America Parade, Atlantic City, 1st place [The band was drenched by parade's end, as it rained non-stop just after the LHSGB stepped-off.]
Nov. - King Frost Parade, Hamburg, Pa, 1st place
Dec. - The Coldstream Guards Band performs at Stabler Arena during their 1981 North American Tour. A Globe-Times article reports: "Late in the show, word about the Liberty Band's presence and style had reach Lt. Col. R.A. Ridings, Coldstream Guards musical director. The audience broke into thunderous applause when [the Coldstream Band and Scot Dragoon pipers] played 'Rule Britannia'. It was one of two selections performed as a tribute to Bethlehem's Liberty High School Band, which was well represented in the audience. the tribute was so spontaneous that it caught the staging technicians off-guard. There was no time to supply Ridings with a microphone and his words went unheard by many in the audience. But the crown lost little time in what was happening. Their cheers brought smiles to several of the usually straight-faced guards. "

1982
Aug. - Sesquicentennial Parade, Tamaqua, Pa, 1st place
- With the addition of the ninth grade level to Liberty H.S., the band's membership swelled to its greatest number, ever - 278.
May - Strawberry Festival, Buchannon, West Virginia, 2nd place - parade
Sept. - Miss America Parade, Atlantic City, Honor Band

1983
April - LHS Orchestra exchange with Eastview Secondary School, Barrie, Ontario.
May - After 36 years at Liberty, Principal Charles Klein retires. To honor Mr. Klein, who was always a staunch supporter of music at Liberty, the band marched two miles from the high school to his house. A Globe-Times article reports: "By the time the procession arrived on Bethlehem's Kemmerer St. at 11:15 am, the surprise tribute planned by 250 members was augmented by 200 to 300 other people. 'I felt like a pied piper,' said band director Ron Sherry." And, in the Morning Call, Mr. Klein recalls: "My wife said, Charles, I think you should come to the front door.' .I was overwhelmed by the tribute to my efforts and services." (photo: T. E. Jenson)
Aug. - 3rd generation of Grenadier uniforms arrive.
- Hazleton Funfest Parade, Outstanding Band (256 members)
Sept. - Miss America Parade, Atlantic City, 1st place
Nov. - Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, NYC

1984
April - St. Petersburg Festival of States - 1st place, parade (The LHSGB shattered its own record, winning the Governor's Cup for an unprecedented fourth time.)
Sept. - Miss America Parade, Atlantic City, Honor Band
Oct. - Baltimore Columbus Day Parade, Mayor's Trophy -Phillipsburg/Easton Halloween Parade, 1st place

1985
May - Dixie Classic, Richmond, VA -Sir David Wilcocks, renowned composer/director from London, visits Bethlehem to guest conduct/rehearse the band.
Oct. - Reading Firemen's Parade
Nov. - Last year that the LHS Band/Orchestra parents run concession stands at football games.

1986
March - The LHSGB travels to London for a joint concert with Her Majesty's Band of the Coldstream Guards. Ours was the first high school band to perform in Royal Albert hall and the first to march in Trafalgar Square since VE Day (where traffic came to a halt for the LHSGB). We also visited/performed at the Royal Military School of Music and enjoyed a home-stay/joint concert with the Bristol Unicorn Band.  (photos: Christmas City Studios)
Oct. - Baltimore Columbus Day Parade (Band enrollment - 245), 2nd place
Nov. - Lebanon Parade
- U.S. Marine Corps Birthday Celebration, Hellertown

Overview | 1922 | 1937 | 1947 | 1957 | 1967 | 1977 | 1987 | 1997