Regal Crownsmen

The Regal Crownsmen, based in Cranston, Rhode Island, had the distinction, not only of wearing feathered crowns as headgear, but also in 1972 of competing as both a junior and a senior corps.

The corps took part in a senior corps competition in Everett, Massachusetts, in July of that year, yet took 20th place in Junior Class B competition in the World Open in August.

[DCW, 3/03, p.3]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"The Crownsmen were organized in 1964 or '65. My father, Wilfred Nadeau had recently resigned as director of the St. Ann Drum and Bugle Corps of Cranston RI after having run into some conflict with parents. He had started the parish corps in 1958 as a parade corps and entered the RI Drum and Bugle Corps Association as Junior Class C standstill competitor. The corps won it's division and moved up to class A M&M competition the following year. The corps was quite successful winning several RI Class A state championships over the next several years. Following his departure from St. Anns my father was approached by Smitty, and Dick Simard, both of whom were playing in the drum line of the RI Musketeers. The Greek and Rick Alves were also members of that drum line. The Musketeers were, at that time the most successful Senior Corps in RI, competing in the Northeastern Circuit against such corps as the Springfield Marksmen, the Connecticut Hurricanes, the Connecticut Yankees etc. The Musketeers were a good corps but, like most senior corps from southeastern NE, never able to field a large enough unit to successfully compete with the big boys. Smitty and Dick were interested in starting a high quality, well instructed junior corps which could compete with the Massachusetts corps. Their hope was that the junior corps would eventually provide quality members who would eventually move on to the Musketeers, but neither had any experience in starting or managing a successful junior operation. They came to our home one evening in 1963 or 64 and asked if my father would be interested in co-managing such a corps with Smitty. My father knew Smitty through his mother who he had worked closely with as a member of the Executive Council of the RI Association but was reluctant to become involved in managing another corps. My sisters and I encouraged him to consider it. I was 15 or 16 at that time. My father agreed to do it, and the Regal Crownsmen were born. (By the way the name Regal Crownsmen was inspired by a bottle of Royal Crown Cola that were found ourselves drinking during one of the meetings in which we were discusing a name for the corps. A membership drive was started. Members came from the greater Providence/Cranston area. Very few of the initial members had any drum corps, marching, or musical experience (as Joe Petrone, David's brother about his first drill practice experience). Smitty hired Hank Zabelieu (sp?) who was aging out of the St. Mary's Cardinals sorano line, was our first horn instructor. He left after the first year to take a position with the Cardinals Instruction staff. He persuaded Rick Connor to take his place with the Crownsmen. Rick taught the hornline for a year, then was replaced by Ed Colbert. In 1967 my father decided that there were other things that he wanted to move on to. He resigned. I became impatient waiting for the corps to become more competitive and decided that it wouldn't happen under Ed Colberts teaching. Joe Genero and Ray Ludee were teaching the New Bedford Whalers. I began making the trek to New Bedford in time for the 1968 season and was surprised to find myself playing lead soprano and solos with them in '68 and '69 at which point I finished college and, having a low draft number, found myself in the USAF in 1970. We had a lot of talent in the Whalers, and Genero provided us with some really great arrangements, but as with the Musketeers, we never were able to field a large enough corps to successfully compete with the big boys. That task would be left for the Matadors."

[From Don Nadeau. From the Regal Crownsmen Drum and Bugle Corps Facebook group.]

No collection items available. Please contact us if you have something to contribute.

LOADING.....