GNODCA
The Hall of Fame was created to honor the Directors , Instructors and Support personnel who spent a majority of there spare time, Directing, Instructing and Supporting the many Drum Corps in the South and Southeast Louisiana area. Without there dedication to there craft, Drum Corps would not have evolved. We are eternally greatful to these honorees, who kept Drum Corps alive.
Louisiana Drum & Bugle Corps Hall Of Fame
Honor those individuals that have left their mark in our hearts within the Drum and Bugle Corps community.
2011 Inductees:
Mrs. Mary Leadbetter
Mary started her drum corps career in 1979 running the bingos every Sunday night for the Blue Raeders. She also helped make uniforms and make flags and worked the Super Dome and she helped make those “ham sandwiches” on tours. Mrs. Mary insisted they keep doing the bingos until the debt was paid off, then they could shut down. Mrs. Mary has been involved with our Jazz Fest Beer (excuse me) beverage booth since 1981. Mrs. Mary is a person who is instrumental in the development and the promoting of a drum and bugle corps by her long dedicated support.
Mrs. Anna Olivier
Anna started her career in October 1973 and did fund raisers for the Bleu Raeders. In 1974, Karen joined the Raeders and Anna was on the board and was treasurer at one time, she made uniforms, and flags, and she worked the Super Dome for the corps. Mrs. Anna also helped make “those ham sandwiches” on the tours. Mrs. Anna has been involved with our Jazz Fest beverage booth since 1981. Mrs. Anna is a person who is instrumental in the development and the promoting of a drum and bugle corps by her long dedicated support.
Mr. Ronnie Thibodeaux
He started his drum corps career as a cymbal player for the Stardusters in 1966. Then he moved to bass drum and then on to snare drum. In 1970, he helped the Masqueraders percussion line. In 1972, he was a charter member of the Blue Raeders Drum and Bugle Corps and in 1974 he was drum instructor for Regiment Militaire. He then moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa where he did not forget drum corps or didn’t stay involved. No! He became Director of the Night Express Drum Corps from 1992 to 1996 where they came in 2nd in Class A. He came back to Hammond in 1910. This person also was instrumental in the promotion of drum corps.
Written by Elroy Ingersoll
At our 2010 annual banquet the Greater New Orleans Drum Corps Association inducted three members into it's Hall of Fame. The recipients of this great honor were:
Malcolm Bolden started his drum corps career in the VFW New Orleans Cadets in 1949 or 1950 as a snare drummer and stayed there until 1952 when he went in the armed services. He also met his wife in the Cadets, as she was in the color guard. He was not in the drum corps again until his daughter joined the Bleu Raeders in 1974 where he was active in the Booster Club, finding many unique ways of raising money to keep the Raeders on the “Drum Corps Trail.” This included taking money out of his own pocket when needed. He did what it takes to keep the corps rolling.
After Larry Coste left, the Raeders, Malcolm became president until the merger that formed the Regiment Militare and thru its folding. Malcolm was also involved with the Louisiana Southernaires in 1982.
Malcolm passed away 7 years ago and Sylvia, his wife 1-1/2 years ago. This person is what the “Hall of Fame” is all about. Dedication to Drum and Bugle Corps. His daughter Julie accepted the award for her father, Malcolm Bolden who is inducted into the “Hall of Fame.”.
Peter "Pete" Perniciaro was one of the founding fathers of the Stardusters Drum and Bugle Corps in Arabi, La formed in 1961. From the Stardusters beginning, Pete was the min fundraiser of the corps and served as the Chairmen of the Board of Directors. He became the Corps Director in 1972 and was a main stay in keeping the Stardusters Running. Under Pete’s Directorship, the corps started progressing and won its first championship in 1977 at the "Mid-America Drum & Bugle Corps Association" and repeated as champions 1978 and 1979, the last year The Association was active. In 1979, under Pete’s leadership, the Stardusters won the "U. S. Open Class A Championship" in Marion, Ohio. As a Class A Corps, they competed in their first DCI Competition at the DCI World Championships in Birmingham, Al. and placed a very strong second. That same year, the Stardusters competed in the American Legion National Championship in Houston, Texas and VFW Nationals coming in second. Pete was a driving force in the Stardusters’ merger with the Bleu Raeders in 1981, that became the Louisiana Southernaires. The Southernaires, Class A Drum and Bugle Corps, went on to win the 1981 DCI World Championship in Montreal, Canada. Pete passed away in 1983.
"Pete" Perniciaro was instrumental in the development of Drum and Bugle Corps in a positive way. His daughter Sandra accepted the award for her father, "Pete" Perniciaro who is hereby inducted into the "Hall of Fame".
Bob Dempsey joined the VFW Cadets at the age of 11 as a soprano bugler, which later was, renamed the New Orleans Cadets where he aged out in 1960. He placed second in the individual Soprano Competition at the VFW Nationals in Los Angeles, CA. when he was with the New Orleans Cadets. He also, placed first in the Senior Soprano Bugle Competition in Birmingham, AL. Bob was a horn instructor for the Stardusters from 1961. He was Show Coordinator and Horn Instructor for the Stardusters from 1972 until the merger with the Louisiana Southernaires where he was the Show Coordinator. Through the years, Bob wrote, taught and directed Drum and Bugle Corps to just about every drum and bugle corps in the New Orleans area. He worked with the horns lines of the Southern Rebels, the Masqueraders and the Mount Carmel Eaglettes, Abbeville, LA.
Bob Dempsey was instrumental in the development and promotion of many drum and bugle corps in a positive way. Bob and his wife Sandra accepted his award and the induction into the “Hall of Fame.”
Written by Elroy Ingersoll
In October of 2008 at our annual banquet the Greater New Orleans Drum Corps Association inducted three members into it's Hall of Fame. The recipients of this great honor were;
Charlie Gai was a soprano player in the VFW Cadets (the origional Southernaires) until he aged out around 1960. The VFW post in Metairie wanted a Drum & Bugle Corps there, because Chalmette had the Stardusters and New Orleans had the Southernaires so Charlie started the Crescent City Rebels in Metairie. They played the metro New Orleans area, parades and such until late 1964. They merged with the Southernaires to form the Masqueraders. He directed the Masqueraders for the year 1965 until leaving, to restart the old Rebels as the Southern Rebels in 1966. He stayed until they disbanded. So it is my honor to welcome into the GNODCA Hall of Fame, Charlie Gai.
Marty Hurley joined a drum corps in New Jersey and played drums for Blessed Sacrament until Dick Pinkin (who was teaching the Stardusters) called Marty and asked him to take over teaching drums for the Stardusters. Dick was quitting the Dusters and wanted Marty to take his place. Marty was single at the time so he moved to New Orleans and started teaching drums. He was also the drum instructor for the Black Knights and Phantom Regiment. In 1972 he helped to start the Bleu Raeders along with Moe Latour. He probably helped some other corps I don't know about. He was installed into the World Drum Corps Association. So it's my honor to welcome Marty Hurley into the GNODCA's Hall of Fame
Emile "Moe" Latour joined ths New Orleans cadets in 1949 at the age of 11 playing a one valve soprano and marching until he aged out at 21. After his age out year Moe went to teach M&M to many of the corps in the New Orleans area. He was the marching instructor for the Masqueraders the Rebels and he helped start the Bleu Raeders. When DCI started he helped other corps, in 1974 the Blue Stars, in 1983 & 1984 the Phantom Regiment, in 1985 thru 1987 the Star of Indiana. In 1988 Moe joined and still tours with the Cadets (formally the Garfield Cadets) doing the small things, ya no, Details. Moe has been installed in the Cadets Hall of Fame and the DCI Hall of Fame. So it's my honor to welcome Moe Latour into the GNODCA Hall of Fame.
These three people are instrumental in the development and promoting of Drum Corps in the State of Louisiana.
Written by Elroy Ingersoll