My

My “So Called” Drum Corps Life

MY "So Called" DRUM CORPS LIFE

Raymond Richardson started his drum corps life in 1963 with the Berean Baptist Church Boy Scout Drum and Bugle Corps from (Bedford Stuyvesant) Brooklyn, NY, as a Baritone horn player. In the Boy Scout Corps, Paul Julian instructed him; later Raymond would find out that Mr. Julian was the first African American to join (in 1950) the New York Skyliner. In this very same year (there are no accidents in life) Raymond was born. Raymond once stated because of this “I was destined to become a Skyliner”.

Paul Julian took a young 14 yr old Raymond to his first Drum Corps Show, the 1964 Dream Contest at Roosevelt Stadium, Jersey City. After watching corps like, The Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights, St. Lucy’s Cadets, St. Kevin’s Emerald Knights, the Skyliners, the Boston Crusaders, and the Connecticut Hurricanes, Raymond became hooked on drum corps (hookline and sinker)!

In 1965, he joined a local neighborhood “Competitive” Marching and Maneuvering Corps, the Wynn Center Toppers. Unfortunately, he could not make the spot in the Baritone line with the Toppers competitive field corps. Their loss was to be “another corps’’ gain, and in 1966, he joined The St. Joseph Patron Cadets from (Bushwick) Brooklyn. It was there where Raymond went on to play Second Baritone for two (2) seasons and cut his teeth in the world of true Drum Corps Competition. In 1968, Raymond began playing the instrument that he would become synonymous with, the Contra Bass. At the end of the 1968 season St. Joe’s Patron were to find themselves homeless, however, with the God’s grace (remember, there are no accidents in life) they were later to be welcomed with open arms (in 1969) by Father Schiraldi and his St. Rita's Church in (East New York) Brooklyn.

In 1969, Raymond with the rest of St. Joseph Patron Cadets became the now Famed St. Rita’s Brassmen. It is at this time Raymond Richardson began to exhibit his skills, not only “Mastering the Contra Bass Bugle ” but also his skill of being a leader within the corps itself. Raymond was “always” an advocate for pushing excellence within the corps (albeit playing the horns or marching and maneuvering). His ability to know when to and not to speak up with an encouraging voice was uncanny. He was able to say the right thing at the right time to motivate us all to do better and feel proud as to who and what we were, The Brassmen! (Interestingly Raymond would typically couple his voice of “encouragement” with “his own humility”)

Raymond’s 1971 season with the Brassmen was to be a bittersweet year for him. The corps had excelled and made that “quantum leap” (with their Woodstock Presentation as the premiere show stopper of the ’71 Drum Season and the corps overall enhanced show appeal) to become a serious National Drum Corps Contender. Unfortunately, this would be also the year that Raymond would “aged out” of The Brassmen.

Raymond would eventually go on to give up one Hy Dreitzer taught horn line that wears a Red and Black Uniform for another Red and Black Uniform (with Hy Dreitzer again as the horn arranger and instructor), but this time it was to be with… The New York Skyliners!

These are the words of Raymond himself, regarding his years with “Sky”

I joined the Skyliners for my first year in 1972. All I will say
about that year is that is when I started bleeding Red and Black. I became a popular Contra Bass player for the Skyliners. I was sometimes called "that tap dancing contra" for the dances done after solos in "Elk's Parade".

In 1983, I gave up the Contra Bass to become Asst. Drum Major to DCA Hall of Fame Drum Major Butch Anderson. I learned a lot from Butch. He taught me to be a Skyliner and a leader. Sadly, in 1993, after the passing of Butch Anderson, I became Drum Major.
I retired after the Skyliners won the 1999 Class “A” Championship. I taught drill and worked with the Baritone’s, and Contras, for the next two years. In the year 2002, I was asked to come back and become the Drum Major again and of course, I said yes. I've been associated with this Corps for 34 years, through good times and bad, winning and losing, but as Butch and I always said " I would rather lose with the Skyliners, than win anywhere else because this Corps is a real family.
I have taught drill in the Skyliners since 1982, and am
currently on the staff for the 2006 season. Through the years, I have taught and worked with a number of Corps in the NY City Area. The NY Lancers, Quest, and was a Board Member and consultant for the Cadets of New
York when the Corps Started. The greatest feeling I am experiencing now is
watching some of those kids marched in the NY Skyliners in 2006.

Foot Note:

Raymond “Konga” Richardson, Visual tech. Konga is a long-time Skyliner and Lifetime Member of the N. Y. Skyliners. He began his career with Sky in 1972 and since then has worn many hats. One of the best-known Contra players in drum corps, Konga went on to become Assistant Drum Major of the Skyliners, and in 1993, after 21 years with the corps, assumed Head Drum Major duties. Konga retired as Drum Major at the end of the 2005 season, and audiences and fans everywhere will miss his warmth, charm, talent, and passion – not to mention his well-known “It’s time to make the Donuts!” phrase. He will continue to work with the corps as a Visual Tech, a position he has held for many years. Ray is also an alumnus of St. Rita’s Brassmen. During his drum corps career, Ray has worked with many junior corps in the New York and New Jersey areas.