Through the Ranks: Greeting Some Famous Guests

When dignitaries come to Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Area, part of their warm welcome often includes the very same music that inspired American revolutionaries centuries ago.

There’s no telling who the latest class of Fifes and Drums recruits may have occasion to play for over the next seven or eight years, but if history is any indication, odds are good they’ll stand among many notable personalities.

Below are a handful of some of the luminaries who have been greeted by the Fifes and Drums over the past 40 years. Along with these snapshots, Bill White, who started with the corp as a teenager and is now Colonial Williamsburg’s Vice President for Productions, Publications and Learning Ventures, recalls the moments the Fifes and Drums shared the spotlight when all eyes were on the guests to the Revolutionary City.