Los Amigos

" Ole' Los Amigos
Vic Mensching
SHINY GOLDEN HORNS flash in the sun. Drums roll. Flags twirl. Feet snap, in time to the march beat. An array of fast action and vivid color; 75 youngsters move in perfect time, heads high, backs straight, arms swinging back and forth in tune to the spicy Mexican music. Clad in burnt orange, shiny black and white, they are the Los Amigos a drum & bugle Corps from East Moline, Illinois. They are one of the flashiest, most refreshing drum corps to appear on the Quad-City scene in memory. Well-drilled, good musicians, they play fiesta music that sounds to be straight from the bull ring.
The Los Amigos began in 1966 when several teens approached Ray Alonzo and asked him about the possibility of starting a drum corps. The youngsters had been members of the Buccaneers Drum & Bugle Corps that had disbanded and were looking for another group to join. "The kids wanted it, so we decided the least we could do is get it started for them," says corps director Bob Weinert of East Moline. The Los Amigos are sponsored by the VFW Post 8890, American Legion 227, and AmVets Post 145 of East Moline. Last year was their first big year and they performed in 35 parades, concerts, and contests. They placed ninth in their first contest which was the Illinois State Fair competition and which takes in corps from all over the state.
The corps, a melting pot for all races, uses a Mexican theme, "to improve racial relations". Their Spanish name means "The Friends". Their arrangements by bugle instructor Dean Storm, drums by Dave Williams and Don Baumin, and their drill is by Earl Curts. Curts, Strom, and Williams are all former members of the Kewanee Black Knights Sr. Corps. Some of their drum music is written by Dave Duncan of the S. Paul Scouts. The Board of Directors for the Los Amigos is: Ray Alonzo - General Manager, Bob Weinert - Corps Director, James Blake - Business Manager, Richard Dundy, Walt Wesolowski, and Martin Navarro - Quartermasters, Jesse Castil - Asst. Corps Director. The Drum Majors are Ray Navarro and Becky Castil, Color Guard Sgt. Linda Wesolowski.Four year old David DeAnda, captures the hearts of parade watchers with his grand military manner as the mascot of the corps.
The youngsters in the Los Amigos must follow a strict code of rules. They are required to attend all rehearsal sessions unless they have a commitment to family, church, or school, and of course, they are sick. If they miss three rehearsals without an excuse they go before the adult board and are subject to dismissal. They are required to show cleanliness and to keep their equipment and uniforms in immaculate condition and their school grades must be kept above average. Corps director Bob Weinert says they will go to any lengths to attract young people tp their corps. They go to homes and give film and recording demonstrations for parents who are leery of letting their children join this organization.
The first exposure of this fine corps for me, was at this year's Illinois VFW State contest at Peoria, ILL on June 21st. My first impression was that here is an up and coming corps from the Quad-City area and I felt that it is about time that corps like this start getting some exposure. It is with due respect to readers of Drum Corps Digest that I submit this special report. To the Los Amigos, I wish them the best of luck in contests for years to come, and hope to see them again in the near future. Adios til we meet again. Portions of this article were taken from the Times Democrat newspaper of Davenport, Iowa from an article by Sherry Ricchardi. My thanks to her and Bob Weinert for all the info about the Los Amigos."

[Ole' Los Amigos article by Vic Mensching. From the Volume 5 Number 8 August 1969 Drum Corps Digest.]

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