After falling out of the Top 12 finalists in 1976 and finishing 20th place in 1977 and 1978, the Troopers eyed a comeback in 1979. However, after finishing 14th place at the DCI Midwest Championship Prelims in Whitewater, Wisconsin several weeks earlier, the corps increasingly looked to be a long shot to climb back into Finals. That is until they marched onto the field at Legion Field in Birmingham.
Judging the General Effect Brass caption at the World Championship Prelims that year was future DCI Hall of Fame member Dave Richards whose recorded judging commentary during the corps' closing tune has become legendary for its raw emotional response. It's a recording that has been shared with countless generations of Troopers members even decades later, as an example of how any performance on any given night can inspire.
In this video, audio from Richards' judging tape from the corps' Preliminary performance is laid atop the corps' Finals performance for illustrative purposes.
Richards passed away October 6, 2024, after a number of years of declining health. He was one of the last surviving members of the original panel of adjudicators who judged at the inaugural DCI Championship in 1972. Read more: https://dci.org/news/dave-richards-an-early-and-influential-judge-in-dci-history-dies-at-86
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