cONGRATULATIONS TO hARRY jENKINS
NAMED TO THE NEW JERSEY DRUM CORPS HALL OF FAME
The following is the nomination made by our own Bob Cook with Jack Deal serving as reference.
When one thinks of individuals who have positively impacted the drum corps community both in New Jersey and beyond, the name of my nominee, Harry P. Jenkins certainly fits that category.
Harry got his start in drum corps back in 1960 as 10-year-old playing an Army G bugle and later as a snare drummer in his local Boy Scout Troop 564 corps in Philadelphia. In 1964 he joined the Rising Sun Cadets as a tenor drummer, and in 1966 played rudimental bass with the Philadelphia PAL Cadets (who temporarily disbanded at the end of that season).
Having caught the drum corps bug, having witnessed and competed against Blue Rock of Penns Grove, NJ during 1966 season, he and several other PAL Cadets members decided to join that up-and-coming corps. Thus, Harry began his impressive career involvement with New Jersey Drum Corps that has now reached 50 years.
Once joining Blue Rock, he displayed his talent and versatility by marching in whatever section the corps had a need. Not yet having a driver's license or owning a car, Harry was so dedicated that if a ride wasn’t available to take him to rehearsal, he would often hitchhike the 45 miles from Philadelphia to Penns Grove, NJ in order to make practice ( imagine doing that in this day and age!) In 1967 as a member of the VFW Nationals Finalist corps Harry was a rudimental Bass Drummer. During the 1968 season (where Blue Rock won their first US Open title and was also a VFW Nationals Finalist) Harry played French horn.
With the 8th Place VFW National Finalist 1969, Harry was a second mellophone player. The following year he played lead mellophone as the corps captured their first NJ State American Legion Championship and was once again a VFW Nationals finalist.
When Harry returned from college at Arizona State University to march his age out year in 1971, the corps staff asked him to make another instrumental change. They wanted him to play third soprano, to mentor the 3 other third sopranos who were 13 years old and had just been brought up from the Blue Rock Vanguard, the corps feeder unit. He willingly accepted that assignment and helped mold those members into high quality performers. That year the corps won 24 of 30 contests including the prestigious CYO Nationals, the US Open, and both the New Jersey State VFW and American Legion Championships.
In 1972 Harry became Assistant Director of Blue Rock at the age of 22, and undertook a myriad of responsibilities including:
-Serving as an assistant drill instructor, getting new members up to speed on marching basics
-Recruiting efforts involving delivering presentations to local high school marching bands, setting up recruiting tables at band and indoor guard shows, producing and displaying brochures and videos.
-Corps Newsletter: Produced a monthly corps newsletter starting in 1971- through 1974 to keep corps personnel abreast of activities, and progress of the corps as well as profiles of corps members and staff. This of course was done by typewriter and mimeograph in the pre-computer days.
-Tour Planning: Contacted show sponsors where Blue Rock would be competing to ensure the corps had adequate housing and rehearsal facilities, and obtained info on local police, emergency, and other services, (banks, vehicle repair, restaurants, etc to prepare for any potential situation where those needs would arise.
-Travel logistics: Prepared maps and directions for corps vehicle drivers (no charter busses for Blue Rock!), to facilitate timely arrivals at show and rehearsal sites- even served as “Advance team” to ensure travel went smoothly
-1974 West Coast Tour: Prepared 30-page document with maps schedules, practice, contest, and housing sites for all drivers, and staff for the most extensive tour ever taken by the corps.
-DCI Rules Congress- represented Blue Rock along with Corps Director Larry Seeney, and corps instructors at these conferences. Also attended regional judges' seminars and regional corps meetings.
-Field Show Design- Participated in these planning sessions in identifying and presenting potential Cshows
For the 1975 season, since Blue Rock was no longer competing in DCI, Harry joined the Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights and performed as both a rudimental bass drummer, and a flugel horn player, where the corps narrowly becoming a DCA finalist in their first and only year of DCA competition.
From 1976-1983 Harry returned to Arizona where he graduated from Arizona State University, and stayed active drum corps wise by becoming the Co-Founder and Director of two corps, The Sun Country Wranglers of Tempe, and the Arizona Musketeers, so here he was sharing his vast drum corps experience in an area of our country that had little or no drum corps traditions.
Returning to New Jersey a few years later, Harry and a few other former Blue Rock members formed the Blue Rock Alumni Association. Harry was elected President of this group and remained in that position for 25 years until 2015. Some notable accomplishments of this group under Harry’s leadership include:
-Organizing a corps reunion in 1989 that had over 180 members and guests in attendance
-Produced a “Blue Rock Through the Years video which featured photos, videos, writings recordings and scripts that chronicled the rich history of the corps
-Established a Blue Rock Memorial Scholarship Program, to assist young men and women of drum corps with their college education
-Co-sponsored DCI shows with the Crossmen in Wilmington and Newark, Delaware where a Blue Rock Alumni brass ensemble performed the National Anthem
-Organized annual Blue Rock reunions in Wildwood on Elks parade weekend, including a 2021, 50th Anniversary celebration of Blue Rock’s great 1971 season
When DCI celebrated their 20th Anniversary in 1992, Harry represented Blue Rock in full uniform along with representatives of all the founding member corps of DCI for a photo shoot at the DCI Finals that year.
In 2015 Harry had decided to retire as President of the Blue Rock Alumni Association, unbeknownst to Harry, knowing that he would be coming to to Wildwood for the Elks Parade like many of us, a Blue Rock reunion corps was organized to give Harry a fitting sendoff. Two secret rehearsals were held, and on the day of the parade 22 brass, 6 percussion, and 10 color guard, hid a block away and then paraded to the corps hotel and serenaded Harry. For the first time in forty years, the corps led by award-winning drum Majors Vicki Drummond, and Betty Ann Long performed two Blue Rock classics: Baby Elephant Walk, and Requiem for the Masses in Harry’s honor. Word of the performance leaked out, and close to two hundred fifty former members of New Jersey corps and beyond showed up in appreciation for Harry’s dedicated service (you can watch the video on Blue Rock’s website.
Still today 50 plus years later, Harry keeps Blue Rock Alums informed as to when local drum corps competitions are being held as well as news about alumni members. Harry’s drum corps contributions spanning parts of seven decades are truly impressive and certainly are worthy of induction into the New Jersey Drum Corps Hall of Fame!
When one thinks of individuals who have positively impacted the drum corps community both in New Jersey and beyond, the name of my nominee, Harry P. Jenkins certainly fits that category.
Harry got his start in drum corps back in 1960 as 10-year-old playing an Army G bugle and later as a snare drummer in his local Boy Scout Troop 564 corps in Philadelphia. In 1964 he joined the Rising Sun Cadets as a tenor drummer, and in 1966 played rudimental bass with the Philadelphia PAL Cadets (who temporarily disbanded at the end of that season).
Having caught the drum corps bug, having witnessed and competed against Blue Rock of Penns Grove, NJ during 1966 season, he and several other PAL Cadets members decided to join that up-and-coming corps. Thus, Harry began his impressive career involvement with New Jersey Drum Corps that has now reached 50 years.
Once joining Blue Rock, he displayed his talent and versatility by marching in whatever section the corps had a need. Not yet having a driver's license or owning a car, Harry was so dedicated that if a ride wasn’t available to take him to rehearsal, he would often hitchhike the 45 miles from Philadelphia to Penns Grove, NJ in order to make practice ( imagine doing that in this day and age!) In 1967 as a member of the VFW Nationals Finalist corps Harry was a rudimental Bass Drummer. During the 1968 season (where Blue Rock won their first US Open title and was also a VFW Nationals Finalist) Harry played French horn.
With the 8th Place VFW National Finalist 1969, Harry was a second mellophone player. The following year he played lead mellophone as the corps captured their first NJ State American Legion Championship and was once again a VFW Nationals finalist.
When Harry returned from college at Arizona State University to march his age out year in 1971, the corps staff asked him to make another instrumental change. They wanted him to play third soprano, to mentor the 3 other third sopranos who were 13 years old and had just been brought up from the Blue Rock Vanguard, the corps feeder unit. He willingly accepted that assignment and helped mold those members into high quality performers. That year the corps won 24 of 30 contests including the prestigious CYO Nationals, the US Open, and both the New Jersey State VFW and American Legion Championships.
In 1972 Harry became Assistant Director of Blue Rock at the age of 22, and undertook a myriad of responsibilities including:
-Serving as an assistant drill instructor, getting new members up to speed on marching basics
-Recruiting efforts involving delivering presentations to local high school marching bands, setting up recruiting tables at band and indoor guard shows, producing and displaying brochures and videos.
-Corps Newsletter: Produced a monthly corps newsletter starting in 1971- through 1974 to keep corps personnel abreast of activities, and progress of the corps as well as profiles of corps members and staff. This of course was done by typewriter and mimeograph in the pre-computer days.
-Tour Planning: Contacted show sponsors where Blue Rock would be competing to ensure the corps had adequate housing and rehearsal facilities, and obtained info on local police, emergency, and other services, (banks, vehicle repair, restaurants, etc to prepare for any potential situation where those needs would arise.
-Travel logistics: Prepared maps and directions for corps vehicle drivers (no charter busses for Blue Rock!), to facilitate timely arrivals at show and rehearsal sites- even served as “Advance team” to ensure travel went smoothly
-1974 West Coast Tour: Prepared 30-page document with maps schedules, practice, contest, and housing sites for all drivers, and staff for the most extensive tour ever taken by the corps.
-DCI Rules Congress- represented Blue Rock along with Corps Director Larry Seeney, and corps instructors at these conferences. Also attended regional judges' seminars and regional corps meetings.
-Field Show Design- Participated in these planning sessions in identifying and presenting potential Cshows
For the 1975 season, since Blue Rock was no longer competing in DCI, Harry joined the Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights and performed as both a rudimental bass drummer, and a flugel horn player, where the corps narrowly becoming a DCA finalist in their first and only year of DCA competition.
From 1976-1983 Harry returned to Arizona where he graduated from Arizona State University, and stayed active drum corps wise by becoming the Co-Founder and Director of two corps, The Sun Country Wranglers of Tempe, and the Arizona Musketeers, so here he was sharing his vast drum corps experience in an area of our country that had little or no drum corps traditions.
Returning to New Jersey a few years later, Harry and a few other former Blue Rock members formed the Blue Rock Alumni Association. Harry was elected President of this group and remained in that position for 25 years until 2015. Some notable accomplishments of this group under Harry’s leadership include:
-Organizing a corps reunion in 1989 that had over 180 members and guests in attendance
-Produced a “Blue Rock Through the Years video which featured photos, videos, writings recordings and scripts that chronicled the rich history of the corps
-Established a Blue Rock Memorial Scholarship Program, to assist young men and women of drum corps with their college education
-Co-sponsored DCI shows with the Crossmen in Wilmington and Newark, Delaware where a Blue Rock Alumni brass ensemble performed the National Anthem
-Organized annual Blue Rock reunions in Wildwood on Elks parade weekend, including a 2021, 50th Anniversary celebration of Blue Rock’s great 1971 season
When DCI celebrated their 20th Anniversary in 1992, Harry represented Blue Rock in full uniform along with representatives of all the founding member corps of DCI for a photo shoot at the DCI Finals that year.
In 2015 Harry had decided to retire as President of the Blue Rock Alumni Association, unbeknownst to Harry, knowing that he would be coming to to Wildwood for the Elks Parade like many of us, a Blue Rock reunion corps was organized to give Harry a fitting sendoff. Two secret rehearsals were held, and on the day of the parade 22 brass, 6 percussion, and 10 color guard, hid a block away and then paraded to the corps hotel and serenaded Harry. For the first time in forty years, the corps led by award-winning drum Majors Vicki Drummond, and Betty Ann Long performed two Blue Rock classics: Baby Elephant Walk, and Requiem for the Masses in Harry’s honor. Word of the performance leaked out, and close to two hundred fifty former members of New Jersey corps and beyond showed up in appreciation for Harry’s dedicated service (you can watch the video on Blue Rock’s website.
Still today 50 plus years later, Harry keeps Blue Rock Alums informed as to when local drum corps competitions are being held as well as news about alumni members. Harry’s drum corps contributions spanning parts of seven decades are truly impressive and certainly are worthy of induction into the New Jersey Drum Corps Hall of Fame!