America's Musicians Archives

Technical Sergeant Erick Quintanilla – Air National Guard Bands
SBO Staff | April 2, 2023Technical sergeant (TSgt) Erick Quintanilla is a citizen Airman, serving as both a musician in the Air National Guard Band of the West Coast and as a music educator for the Los Angeles Unified School District. Like many, Quintanilla’s ideals and work ethic have been shaped by his life experiences. Growing up in Mid-City Los […] Read More...
In Her Own: Words Musician 1st Class Adele Demi U.S. Navy Band
Musician 1st Class Adele Demi | March 13, 2023Musician 1st Class Adele Demi joined the United States Navy Concert and Ceremonial Band in 2012 as a clarinet instrumentalist. She has served as a ceremonial band drum major, an enlisted conductor of the concert band, auditions supervisor, and was recently named the band’s 2022 Sailor of the Year from a field of 94 of […] Read More...
Gunnery Sgt. Amy McCabe
SBO Staff | February 19, 2023First Female Principal Trumpet in “The President’s Own” In September 2022, Gunnery Sgt. Amy McCabe was officially announced as principal trumpet for “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band. The first female to hold that title in the band’s 225-year history, she replaced Master Gunnery Sgt. Kurt Dupuis, who served as principal since 1994. “As […] Read More...
Why I Serve with Music
SFC Zackery Pride | January 15, 2023Many people say they started playing from an early age. They were banging away on the piano, the desk at school, or even pots and pans in the kitchen. Others may have been introduced to their instrument through their local school band or orchestra. Some might have found a way to express themselves musically without […] Read More...
Technical Sergeant Kelly Cho
SBO Staff | December 15, 2022Playing an instrument is not just about becoming a musician… It’s about developing your heart.” – Technical Sgt. Kelly Cho, violin From her earliest days as a three-year old pianist, music has always maintained a presence in the life of the newest member of The United Air Force Band, Technical Sergeant Kelly Cho. But she […] Read More...
Serving as a Citizen Soldier Chief Warrant Officer Four
Kathy Schiafone | November 13, 2022I planned to be an accountant. Although I don’t remember why accounting, or who influenced me, it was an easy profession to imagine as a high school student; a clear path to a stable and life-sustaining wage. As a young child growing up in Johnsonburg, PA, I listened to my Italian father, Cosmo, play accordion, and […] Read More...
My Story
Mike Lawson | October 13, 2022How did I, a person of Colombian peasant heritage, end up in the U.S Air Force Band of the West? To answer that, I must first tell you about my parents; about their hard work and sacrifice that allowed me to do my hard work and sacrifice. My parents grew up in peasant families: mud […] Read More...
Staff Sergeant Joseph Bennett and Staff Sergeant Renée Bennett
SBO Staff | September 5, 2022In the old days, new soldiers were told, “If the Army wanted you to have a wife, they would have issued you one.” Those days are long gone and today, American women comprise over 16% of the active Army and serve in every type of Army unit. The United States Army Field Band, the “Musical […] Read More...
In His own words – Kent Grover
Musician First Class Matthew Tremel | August 2, 2022On July 6, 2022, at an elementary school in Libreville, Gabon, Musician First Class Kent Grover added another country to the list of places he has performed with the U.S. Navy fleet bands. Gabon is country number 37 for Grover, who joined the U.S. Navy as a musician in 2016. KG: I come from […] Read More...
Musician First Class Ian Dobie Rocks!
Chief Musician Leah Abbott | July 8, 2022How does an avid outdoorsman and violinist from land-locked Boise, Idaho, become interested in joining America’s oldest seagoing service as a recording engineer? You could say that Musician First Class Ian Dobie has a competitive streak. After all, at the age of four, he envied his older sister’s ability to play the violin so much […] Read More...
U.S. Army Bands Saxophonist Staff Sergeant Devin Thomas
Staff Sergeant Brianna Williams | June 15, 2022Staff Sergeant Devin Thomas has served as the saxophone instructor at the U.S. Army School of Music (USASOM) Virginia Beach, Va. since 2021. Before assuming duties as an instructor, he completed a tour with the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe Band – the musical ambassadors of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Prior to his […] Read More...
Marine Staff Sergeant Michael Borowski
SBO Staff | May 2, 2022I always considered myself lucky I never wanted to do anything else but music. Even as I write this, I am thankful my passion to perform and make music with other musicians after twenty-some-odd years has not died out. Getting to this point in my life has been a fascinating journey. No one has any idea […] Read More...