19 - Interview with Mr. Ed Pierce: The 1st Brigade Band Then and Now

The Early American Brass Band Podcast

Episode 19 is our wide-ranging interview with Mr. Ed Pierce, member and historian of the 1st Brigade Band out of Wisconsin. We talk about long history of the 1st Brigade Band before, during, and after the American Civil War, as well as the band’s repertoire, instruments, and members.

Show notes for this episode are available at https://eabbpodcast.com/show-notes-2/. Music in this episode comes from Our Musical Past from the Library of Congress and The 1st Brigade Band. You can get in touch with us on all social media platforms, and by emailing us at [e-mail].

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Episode Structure:

• 2:47 - Ed's various roles with the 1st Brigade Band

• 4:37 - How Ed got interested in Civil War history

• 8:58 - Ed's role in the band as historian

• 14:07 - Ed's involvement producing/mixing some of the 1st Brigade Band albums

• 16:45 - The 1st Brigade Band in the 19th century

• 22:05 - Story about the 1st Brigade Band during the Civil war

• 25:48 - The 1st Brigade Band after the Civil war

• 29:56 - Instrumentation of the band then and now

• 31:36 - How the band functions today

• 35:22 - The band's instrument collection

• 37:34 - Story about smuggling a cornet so it wouldn't fall into the hands of a Confederate band

• 41:27 - 1st Brigade Band's history of being one of, if not the first reenactment bands in the United States, contributing to that movement, and notable gigs

• 48:39 - Makeup of the band now

• 50:32 - Repertoire, building community

• 56:11 - Touring battlefields on the East coast in 1983

• 1:02:41 - Reception of the band today

• 1:06:24 - Upcoming 1st Brigade Band project

• 1:10:31 - Thoughts on teaching and learning American band history

• 1:19:32 - Where you can find more about the 1st Brigade Band, Featured Album: 1st Brigade Band, Volume 12: Concert Favorites