Kilties Drum and Bugle Corps


The Kilties Drum and Bugle Corps was a competitive all age coed drum and bugle corps. Based in Racine, Wisconsin, the Kilties were members of Drum Corps Associates. From 1934 through 1982, the Kilties were a junior corps that won three VFW National Championships and were seven-time World Championship Finalists in Drum Corps International. The group was reorganized as an alumni corps in 1986, became a parade corps in 1993, entered competition as a senior field corps in 1994 and evolved into an "all-age" coed corps in 1999. They have been finalists at the DCA all-age world championships three times including obtaining Bronze Medal status in the 2015 season Class A division and awarded the 1997 Drum Corps Midwest senior corps championship.

Early history

Junior Kilties

The Junior Kilties Drum and Bugle were founded in 1934 by Raymond Vance as an activity associated with the YMCA as an all boy drum and bugle corps. The original name of the corps was the Kiwanis Kilties in honor of the sponsor. A local seamstress made the original uniforms for the corps. The first plaid that the corps wore was the Royal Stewart tartan. The corps made their début on July 4, 1936 at the Independence Day Parade. It was on August 5, 1936 that the corps hit the field for exhibition at the local music festival. The junior Kilties went inactive after the 1982 season.

Modern history

The All-Age Kilties

In 1992 the corps initially reemerged as an all-male senior/alumni corps through the efforts of local alumni of the junior Kilties and participated in local events and competitions.
The corps entered back into the field competition in 1994 with their début in Menasha, Wisconsin on June 11, 1994. The Kilties competed exclusively in the Drum Corps Midwest circuit and obtained full DCM membership in Toledo, Ohio in their first year of competition and now compete as an all-age coed corps in the DCA and DCI-All Age circuits.
As a DCA corps and DCI all-age division corps the Kilties have members from 16 years old through adulthood.

Uniform

The current all age coed corps uniform consists of a Modern Buchanan tartan and a black battlejacket. Accessories for the uniform are: black tam, black gauntlets, black knee high socks with black highland boots. A sporran is also worn by the horn and pit players.
The color guard uniforms are modern in nature with the exception of wearing kilts as a part of their parade uniform.

Show Summary (1953-82)

"Pale blue background indicates DCI Class Finalist."
YearRepertoireScorePlacement
1953Colonel Bogey March by Kenneth J. Alford / Moulin Rouge by Georges Auric / Tuxedo Junction by Erskine Hawkins, Bill Johnson, & Julian Dash / Loch Lomond / St. Louis Blues March by William C. Handy / My Country 'Tis of Thee by Samuel Francis Smith / The Lonesome Road by Nathaniel Shillkret & Gene Austin / Blue Skies by Irving Berlin / You are My Sunshine by Jimmie Davis & Charles Mitchell / Going Home by Antonin Dvorak / On the Trail by Ferde Grofe / Dinah by Harry Akst, Sam M. Lewis, & Joe Young / Sweet Sue, Just You by Victor Young & Will J. Harris / Powerhouse March / Too Young by Sidney Lippman & Sylvia Dee
1954Exactly Like You by Jimmy McHugh & Dorothy Fields / Sweet Sue, Just You by Victor Young & Will J. Harris / Colonel Bogey March by Kenneth J. Alford / You Take The High Road / The Lonesome Road by Nathaniel Shillkret & Gene Austin / Tuxedo Junction by Erskine Hawkins, Bill Johnson, & Julian Dash / Chattanooga Choo Choo by Harry Warren & Mack Gordon / String of Pearls by Jerry Gray / My Country 'Tis of Thee by Samuel Francis Smith / The Song Is Ended by Irving Berlin & Beda Loehner
1956Powerhouse March / Bolero by Maurice Ravel / Little Girl by Francis Henry & Matt Hyde / It's Only a Paper Moon by Harold Arlen, E.Y. Harburg, & Billy Rose / Limehouse Blues by Philip Braham & Douglas Furber / Three LIttle Words by Bert Kalmar & Harry Ruby / March of the Grenadiers by Josef Locke / Minnesota, March On by Milo Sweet & Gwen Sweet / The Object of my Affection by Pinky Tomlin / Wishing
1957March of the Grenadiers by Josef Locke / Liza by George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, & Gus Kahn / Moonglow by Will Hudson, Irving Mills, & Eddie DeLange / Oh, Lady Be Good by George Gershwin & Ira Gershwin / Round and Round by Joe Shapiro & Lou Stallman / Sitting On Top of the World by Walter Vinson & Lonnie Chatmon / Angry by Henry Brunies, & Merritt Brunies, Jules Cassard, & Dudley Mecum / Night and Day by Cole Porter / I Got Rhythm by George Gershwin & Ira Gershwin / The Campbells are Comin' / Sleep by Earl Lebieg
1958String of Pearls by Jerry Gray / Little Girl by Francis Henry & Matt Hyde / Tenderly by Walter Gross & Jack Lawrence / Under the Double Eagle by Josef Wagner / Sugartime by Charlie Phillips & Odis Echols / Oh, You Beautiful Doll by Irving Berlin, Nat D. Ayer, & Seymour Brown / Colonel Bogey March by Kenneth J. Alford / The Song Is Ended by Irving Berlin & Beda Loehner
1960Scotland the Brave / Blue Bells of Scotland by Burt Cutler / Tuxedo Junction by Erskine Hawkins, Bill Johnson, & Julian Dash / Like Young by Andre Previn & Paul Francis Webster / Stormy Weather by Harold Arlen & Ted Koehler / America The Beautiful by Samuel A. Ward & Katherine Lee Bates / All the Blue Bonnets Are Over the Border / Auld Lang Syne 79.459th
1961This Could Be The Start Of Something Big by Steve Allen / Goody Goody by Matty Malneck & Johnny Mercer / 2 O'Clock Jump by Count Basie, Benny Goodman, & Harry James / Stompin' At The Savoy by Edgar Sampson / 'S Wonderful by George Gershwin / Goodby Now79.8511th
1962Hands Across The Sea by John Philip Sousa / A Foggy Day by George Gershwin & Ira Gershwin / Take the 'A' Train by Billy Strayhorn / Goody Goody by Matty Malneck & Johnny Mercer / National Emblem March by Edwin Eugene Bagley / America The Beautiful by Samuel A. Ward & Katherine Lee Bates / It's A Pity To Say Goodnight by Mack Gordon & Billy Reid / Goodby Now74.2011th
1963Hands Across The Sea by John Philip Sousa / A Foggy Day by George Gershwin & Ira Gershwin / Scotland the Brave / Farandole by Georges Bizet / Fame and Glory by Albert Edward Matt / America The Beautiful by Samuel A. Ward & Katherine Lee Bates / Auld Lang Syne
1964Scotland the Brave / The Best Things in Life Are Free by Ray Henderson, Buddy DeSylva, & Lew Brown / The Song of the Volga Boatmen / Put On A Happy Face by Charles Strouse & Lee Adams / Hail To The Chief by James Sanderson / America The Beautiful by Samuel A. Ward & Katherine Lee Bates / Hands Across The Sea by John Philip Sousa / Auld Lang Syne 85.951st
1965Scotland the Brave / Girl From Ipanema by Antonio Carlos Jobim / The Song of the Volga Boatmen / Put On A Happy Face by Charles Strouse & Lee Adams / Hail To The Chief by James Sanderson / America The Beautiful by Samuel A. Ward & Katherine Lee Bates / 76 Trombones by Meredith Wilson / National Emblem March by Edwin Eugene Bagley / Stars and Stripes Forever by John Philip Sousa / Auld Lang Syne 84.203rd
1966Blue Bells of Scotland by Burt Cutler / Scotland the Brave / Jersey Bounce by Tiny Bradshaw, Eddie Johnson, & Bobby Plater / Fame and Glory by Albert Edward Matt, / America The Beautiful by Samuel A. Ward & Katherine Lee Bates / The Song of the Volga Boatmen / 76 Trombones by Meredith Wilson / South Rampart Street Parade by Ray Bauduc & Bob Haggart / Put On A Happy Face by Charles Strouse & Lee Adams / High Hopes by Jimmy Van Heusen & Sammy Cahn82.758th
1967Scotland the Brave / Jericho by Jerry Goldsmith / Hail To The Chief by James Sanderson / America The Beautiful by Samuel A. Ward & Katherine Lee Bates / Auld Lang Syne 83.705th
1968Strike Up the Band by George Gershwin & Ira Gershwin / Yes, Indeed by Tina Brockert / MacArthur Park by Jimmy Webb / Chattanooga Choo Choo by Harry Warren & Mack Gordon / Auld Lang Syne 89.851st
1969Fanfare & Down on MacConnachy Square by Frederick Loewe / Loch Lomond / America The Beautiful by Samuel A. Ward & Katherine Lee Bates / Brotherhood of Man by Frank Loesser / Yes, Indeed by Tina Brockert / MacArthur Park by Jimmy Webb / Chattanooga Choo Choo by Harry Warren & Mack Gordon / Auld Lang Syne 84.556th
1970Fanfare & Down on MacConnachy Square by Frederick Loewe / Loch Lomond / America The Beautiful by Samuel A. Ward & Katherine Lee Bates / MacArthur Park by Jimmy Webb / Take the 'A' Train by Billy Strayhorn / Night Train by Jimmy Forrest, Lewis Blimpkins, & Dacer Washington / Chattanooga Choo Choo by Harry Warren & Mack Gordon / Auld Lang Syne 84.556th
1971Rocknormanoff's 5th by Ken Norman / Brotherhood of Man by Frank Loesser / Bagpipes, Bugles, & Bluebells / Jesus Christ Superstar by Andrew Lloyd Webber / Yellow Submarine by John Lennon & Paul McCartney / Auld Lang Syne
1972McCoy's Reel by Ken Norman / God Save the Queen / Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky / McCoy's Exit / Auld Lang Syne 81.208th
1973McDuffy's March by Mike Duffy / God Save the Queen / Roundabout by Jon Anderson & Steve Howe / Eli's Coming by Laura Nyro / McCoy's Exit / Auld Lang Syne 82.955th
1974Fanfare by Frederick Loewe / McDuffy's March by Mike Duffy / Karn Evil 9 by Keith Emerson, Greg Lake, & Peter Sinfield / Eli's Coming by Laura Nyro / Chattanooga Choo Choo by Harry Warren & Mack Gordon / McCoy's Exit / Auld Lang Syne 85.256th
1975The Third Hoorah by Ian Anderson / Carmina Burana by Carl Orff / Roll Over Beethoven by Chuck Berry / Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing by Stevie Wonder / Irish Washerwoman by Leroy Anderson / Auld Lang Syne 85.307th
1976Knightsbridge March by Eric Coates / John the Baptist by Al Kooper / Roll Over Beethoven by Chuck Berry / Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing by Stevie Wonder / Auld Lang Syne 70.0528th
1977McDuffy's March by Mike Duffy / Heaven on Their Minds by Andrew Lloyd Webber / Pagliacci by Ruggero Leoncavallo / Music by John Miles81.8010th
1978My Favorite Things by Richard Rogers / Battle Cry / Seaside Rendezvous by Freddie Mercury / Everybody's Everything by Carlos Santana, David Brown, & Tyrone Moss / Se a Cabo by Jose Areas / Auld Lang Syne 77.2512th
1979Scottish Rhapsody / Birdland by Josef Zawinul / Serpentine Fire by Maurice White, Verdine White, & Sonny Burke / The South's Gonna Do It Again by Charlie Daniels / Long, Long Time by Gary White / Auld Lang Syne 65.6532nd
198136.0549th
198231.8035th
Class A