George Maynard Richardson: A Man and His Horn

By H. Barber & R. Henry

George Richardson was born in Brooklyn, New York he is the younger brother of Raymond Richard (30yrs Drum Major of the New York Skyliners). George played with the Ray Abrams Band under the leadership of his uncle, the late Donald Maynard.

In his youth as young teenage, he became a member of the St. Rita’s Brassmen. George Richardson was a solid lineman with Brassmen playing third Baritone, with all the power and tone quality that a “typical” baritone player would have had coming from a corps like the St. Joseph Patron Cadets and a St. Rita’s Brassmen.

George excelled in every aspect of his endeavors including garnering numerous trophies in bowling and martial arts contests.

In the world of Drum and Bugle Corps, he truly excelled when going from playing a baritone to playing a flugle horn to a soprano bugle.

George spent four years a member of one of the most prestigious Junior Corps horn line on the east coast, The St. Rita’s Brassmen.

After the demise of the Brassmen in ‘73, George stayed involved with Drum Corps in particular in the New York Skyliners where he played lead soprano for a number of years and displayed even more of his prowess on with the soprano horn.

He was known throughout the Drum Crops circuit for and fans gave him the name of “Sidemouth” because of his unique style of placing the mouthpiece on his lips.

After playing many years in the competitive Senior ranks he became a member of the Skyliners Alumni Corps.

In July of 2005, George was inducted into the Buglers Hall of Fame in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where he was presented with a medal as:

“Bugler Extraordinaire—For Artistic Excellence in Drum and Bugle Corps. “