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Through the Ranks: Telling Stories

June 22, 2015 by Ben Swenson Leave a Comment

Recruits_Fife_and_Drum

The recruits of the Colonial Williamsburg Fifes and Drums have come to the Revolutionary City from many different backgrounds. Some always knew they’d join this ensemble. Others seemed to have stumbled on it accidentally.

All of them have signed on to a life-changing journey.

In these audio clips, the recruits tell the stories of what brought them to the corps and the lessons they have already taken away from the experience.

I HAVE TO PRACTICE A LOT…

D2015-DMD-0131-4006

Recruit Matthew Mills, shown at left

Matthew Mills describes the path led to the Fifes and Drums and the challenges he found being part of the group.

http://whatsnew.history.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Mills.mp3

IT’S USUALLY SERIOUS…

Through_the_Ranks_Turner

Recruit Sam Turner

Drummer Sam Turner explains his road to the corps and the occasional moments of levity he finds there.

http://whatsnew.history.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Turner.mp3

ISN’T AS DIFFICULT AS IT SEEMS…

Corporal Kennedy Becke has a conversation with her sister, Lindsay, a recruit, about the bonds the Fifes and Drums have forged in their family.

Recruit Lindsay Becke

Recruit Lindsay Becke

http://whatsnew.history.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Becke-Sisters.mp3

THE MEMORIES YOU TAKE…

Through_the_Ranks_Brenagan

Recruit Macy Brenagan

Fifes and Drums alumnus Jeff Brenegan and his daughter Macy reflect on two generations in the corps.

http://whatsnew.history.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Brenegans.mp3

Ben Swenson

Ben Swenson lives in Williamsburg, Virginia with his wife and two sons. His writing career has led him to all sorts of odd corners of the world: he has jumped out of a perfectly good airplane, wrestled crab pots on a Chesapeake Bay work boat and taken a helicopter ride through a twisting river gorge. Odds are good you will find him outside with them somewhere when he is not chasing or telling stories.

 

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