Meet The Carter Cadets
Eastern Review April 1964 Vol.8 No.4
(click on images to enhance)
**Correct name below should be Pepe Notaro
Labels: Drum Bugle Corps
posted by NanciD @ 1/25/2007 06:00:00 PM
11 comments
Historical Drum Corps Publications
A permanent home to share my family collection of Drum Corps publications. My Mom started this collection in the 40s. This is my labor of love. I hope you all enjoy these articles / scores / pictures... as much as we have over the decades. History must be preserved. This is my lil corner / contribution to the drum corps community (online). A place for all of us to live, relive, learn, love and share in our passionate hobby. Please feel free to add comments, share your experiences, stories, etc.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Previous Posts
- 3rd Annual 'Martha Hazen Memorial' Show Ad
- Coming Attractions
- "Miss Drum Corps" To Be Selected At Golden Knights...
- THE NEWS Welfare Association
- New Orleans Cadets (The Southernaires) pic
- Drum Corps Publicists Association
- Waters Souvenir Sales
- Long Island WBAB radio
- Dept. New York - Eastern Review Magazine
- Editorials - Eastern Review Magazine
11 Comments:
Wow, I'm facinated with how much information the internet has. I was just thinking and wondering if I googled in the Carter Cadets would any information come up.
You talk about history. You see I'm the neice of the late Fitz and Miriam Carter who started the Carter Cadets and I could go all the way back in time with pictures and bio's. It was great to read and see some of my family's history preserved.
My entire family was involved in the Carter cadets. I was a rifle bearer in the color guard. My brothers played the drum and horns. My cousin was the majorette. Everyone on Pacific Street knew the Carter Cadets and the house where we used to practice used to "Rock" with the horn and drum playing in the basement. The color guard used to practice in the backyard with drill after drill until every move was precise.
Any then on "Brooklyn Day" my Aunt Marie used to lead the Cadets by marching in front with the color guard following, then the Majorette, then the drum and horn players preceding the huge floats that carried the little kids.
I'm getting teary eyed remembering those days.
Thanks for the memories
I was also a member in the early 80's.That was the time of my life.I'm a drummer until this day...Thanks for the upliftment...
The time of my life was in drum corp. I am proud to say I marched with the Carter Cadets form 1967-1973. I was in the trick riffle section. (Jackie, Brenda, Lou -cinder, Natalie, Tanine, Mary, June and Enid). And in the winter comps I was in the saber section Juanita, Loretta, Cynthia and Brad. I remember the year we played tropical heat wave that was a marching song the adrenal use to be rushing. And in the back of your mind you here Nat Lewis saying ankles are to the knees. Oh my, the smell of the Green grass when we went to NJ. And making sure you shined your boot when you were finished. The jokes on the bus and the talent of singers like Rose and Andre doing their thing…And the Drummers like Danny, Elvin, Swain, Steve, Hicks,& moody on the color guard bus practicing until they got tired. And the Building who can forget that place on Bedford Ave which is a tire shop today. We housed our equipment, practiced and had our dances their. Everybody wanted to go to a Carters party… it was the days of Fred Bond shoes and Blye knit sweaters and may be a little Ripple. Ok Kenny and Gary and Sonny P use to make fun of those who love fermented grapes.
And Good old Kingston Park its still there. The mutts use to run back to the line and start over again it was what we lived for back in those days. We just had to get it right. My mother would attend our shows and say our off the line was always fabulous.
We look like we were always ready for the next move. I had some great comrades some are still with us and some fallen... Like David Bagley, Sharon Palmer,Jackie Myrph,
& Mr. Contrabass Abe even to the man who use to drive our equipment…His name escapes me… MR?
But we now have a Face book account…Alumni’s Join us if you can. Send in old pictures post thoughts keep us up to date with life, love of your families and friends. I think the real last time we got together was when the Alumni gave a dance- Bobby T, Moody, Wayne Smart, John Fogel, Gengis Nor were alive, And Risbrook sang a song called friends...Again naming a few the other others will never be forgotten. We spend a lot of years together. In all... I salute you Carter Cadets You were a big part of my pass but pressed in my book of memories for as long as I live.Enid Knight Riffle section
The time of my life was in drum corp. I am proud to say I marched with the Carter Cadets form 1967-1973. I was in the trick riffle section. (Jackie, Brenda, Lou -cinder, Natalie, Tanine, Mary, June and Enid). And in the winter comps I was in the saber section with Juanita, Loretta, Cynthia and Brad. I remember the year we played tropical heat wave that was a marching song the adrenal use to be rushing. And in the back of your mind you here Nat Lewis saying ankles are to the knees. The jokes on the bus and the talent of singers like Rose and Andre. Drummers like Danny, Elvin, Swain, Steve, Hicks, & the belvedere Moody. How they practiced on the bus until they got tired.
And the Building who can forget that place on Bedford Ave which is a tire shop today. Good old Kingston Park its still there you mutts. I had some great comrades some are still with us and some fallen, like David B, Sharon P, Jackie M, and Mr. Contrabass Abe. We now have a Face book account…Alumni’s Join us if you can. Send in old pictures post thoughts keep us up to date with life, and love of your families. I think the real last time we got together was when the Alumni gave a dance- Bobby T, Moody, Wayne Smart, John Fogel, Gengis Nor were alive. I remember Risbrook sang a song called friends and did we cry that night- I have the pictures! Again naming a few, all others will never be forgotten. We spend a lot of years together. I salute you Carter Cadets You were a big part of my pass but pressed in my book of memories. Peace out.
Enid Knight Riffle Section
The Carter Cadets 60 Years Later
By Jim Claytor DCW Staff
Drumcorpsworldjim@yahoo.com
Part one of two
It’s pretty amazing how much we think things change over the years when in all actuality, a lot of our “change” is nothing more than a recreation of our previous experiences, I’ll explain that analogy later on in the story. But right now lets go back about sixty years ago during the 1950’s, when we had such issues as, “Brown verses the board of Education (1954), The slaying of 14 year old Emmett Till (1955), or when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat at the front of the "colored section" of a bus to a white passenger (1955). These were all issues relevant to an era of racial despair, which sadly divided the people of the United States for decades to come. About a week ago I had the chance to interview an African American man present to that era, who explained to me his personal trials and tribulations of being part of an American Drum and Bugle Corps, except all members were African American.
Nat W. Lewis, in 1958 was the American Legion individual snare drum champion for the state of New York. By 1965 he had become the director of one of the first all African-American drum corps, The Carter Cadets drum and bugle corps from the Bedford-Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn New York. Previously founded in1950 by the late Pastor Fitz and Miriam Carter, The Carter Cadets had competed throughout their early formative years winning numerous contests and parades, including several appearances in standstill competitions and the famous Brooklyn Day Parade. Once they had incorporated a field show, The Carter Cadets took top honors and won the 1963 Kings County VFW Liberty Championships, giving them a huge boost as a corps and much more notoriety within their community.
The Carter Cadets 60 Years Later
By Jim Claytor DCW Staff
Drumcorpsworldjim@yahoo.com
Part two of two
This win was a huge accomplishment at the time, especially while establishing themselves outside of the political and racial boundaries that were still ingrained within both races, mostly due to conflicts of the previous decades that still had a slight lingering effect. Starting in 1964 when Mr. Lewis became corps director, he made sure the corps was incorporated, and by 1965, they had over 40 horns, 20 drums, and 26 in the color guard. Their repertoire included great songs like, “I left my heart in San Francisco”, “To Sir with love”, “Show me” from my fair lady, “Crown Victoria” and many more well known classics. While speaking with Mr. Lewis I asked him how did the corps survive financially back then, and what were their dues. Lewis stated “they paid very little dues, collecting was hard enough, and just getting the parents to let the kids come to the corps was even harder at that time the parents would say, what? Do what? March?” He also mentioned that in order for any kid to say in the corps “we made it a prerequisite the kids had to maintain their school work also”. Throughout the year the corps would hold several fundraisers and receive numerous donations that significantly helped in keeping the organization on a positive financial note. After placing 10th in the VFW National Championships against corps like the Troopers, our Lady of Perpetual Help drum and bugle corps, and many others, The Carter Cadets continued their success by appearing in a feature film titled: “The Education of Sonny Carter”, which is still available on Amazon.
During the interview, Mr. Lewis said something to me that was really unexpected; I asked him what issues during that time period was a hindrance to the progression of the corps, both psychologically, and from a competitive standpoint. He said, “In drum corps we were all equal, that’s the one place where we all felt at home”. He continued to say that even within that era of establishing racial equality, “there were never any issues when it came to drum corps people, in drum corps we were all brothers and sisters no matter what the color of your skin was”. The Carter Cadets were known as one of the most prominent in all African American drum corps in the United States. The final year of competition for the Carter Cadets was 1969, and eventually folding in 1972. Though the corps itself has been gone for 38 years, the Carter Cadets Inc is still functioning mainly as a facilitator, raising funds to purchase instruments and donating them to various musical organizations. I’ve noticed there has been something rather ironic about the Carter Cadets. The Director of City Sound drum and bugle corps out of Los Angeles, Nathaniel Lewis Jr. happens to be the son of Nat W. Lewis from Brooklyn, New York. Uniforms for The Carter Cadets were blue and white as well as the uniforms for City Sound who thrives on “traditional yet cool”. So even though they are three thousand miles apart, change” is nothing more than a recreation of our previous experiences.
Jim Claytor
I can't thank you enough for sharing your walk down memory lane!!!This is awesome and no doubt... someone else from those days will happen upon this and probably contact you!
Do you have any memorabilia? If so... I'd gladly house it here!
This is exactly why I spend the time to do this!
Send me an email at
NanciD@diceman-radio.com
My Name Is William Vaughn (POO) I marched with the Carter in 1969, I played baritone horn. I fell in love with Carter and many of my lifelong friends where found there. I just want to say, I still miss everyone that passed on, and very much owe my entire drum corp experience to Abe, Thank You
Thanks for the memories. Kevin Baldwin here. I was in Carter's briefly before they folded and joined St. Rita's Brassmen from there. I remember "POO" and we had some memorable competitions thereafter while he was in the BMCC Warriors. Great years. Thanks all
Good morning all. I'm Vaughn Cropper (aka Barney and Cowboy). I was an honor the march with the Carter Cadets from 1966-1969. My JHS school mate, Mr. Ronald Swain was not only a member, but, he was a great Tenor drummer. He would always tell me later when I became a corps member, that he wanted to play the timboles. I first saw the Carter Cadets, I think, one Saturday afternoon at St Johns Park in the Albany Projects in Bklyn, Ny. I remember, I asked one of the Horn players when and where they practiced. He replied "We rehearse at the Fez Ballroom on Bedford Ave on Tuesday nights. Little did i know, that the fellow who gave that information would become teacher and friend, Mr. Clarece Murph (Sonny). Under his tutledge, I practiced daily and became pretty damn good. I developed power, a lip triwill and could triple tongue. I could go on and on with the memories. I will close with this:
The Baritone Line 1968 (our Best Year): On 1st Baritone, Mr. Abe Bethell, Mr. James Sumpter, Mr. Ed Turner. On 2nd Baritone, Mr. Sonny Murph, Mr. Roger Jones, Mr.Robert Mobley and Mr. Vaughn Cropper. On 3rd Baritone, Mr. Malcome Souter, Mr. James Robinson, Mr. Felex Sanchez and Mr. Bernard Hanna. As stated earlier, I was honored the march with the Carter Cadets from 1966-1969. I will always be a Carter Cadet!!! PS, this is for Ms. Enid Knight, I remember the five of us hanging out during practice, Wayne, Bernard, Chuckie and me!
My memory is a little hazy on this. I saw the Carter Cadets either in 1968 at the World Open in Lynn, Massachusets or at the VFW Nationals in 1969 in Philly. They performed Saturday afternoon. While they didn't stand a chance to win and we all know why, they should have been marching Saturday night. They played the circus music, and if you closed your eyes you'd swear there was a steam calliope out on the field. We marched for a little corps out of Apalachin, NY called the Grenadiers and let me tell you, we went nutz for the Carter Cadets. Wow. I'll take this memory to my grave. Good times people.
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