Sacramento Freelancers

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The Sacramento Freelancers was a Drum and Bugle Corps from Sacramento California. They are now defunct, and out of action since 1994. They had once before gone inactive and returned to DCI in 1987. In 1989, the Freelancers returned to the Drum Corps International Top 12, the first time a corps that went inactive had ever made it back into the Finals. [1]

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[edit] Image

The Freelancers had a distinct, "hard sell" image - pride, military bearing, and the ability to ignore all distractions. For example, the Freelancers were never seen in public areas (in the stadium, around the stadium) out of uniform. When mocked, either in jest or in anger by other corps, it was the nature of the corps to totally ignore the other corps. Once in formation, or in route to the stadium in uniform, all other persons, either spectators or other corps, were ignored as if they did not exist - this time was used to focus and prepare for the show that evening.

[edit] Uniforms

The uniforms worn by the Freelancers up until 1992 were red "cadet" jackets with black pants, spatz, gauntlets, traditional shako hats. The most distinctive items were the fold in the jacket and the buckle worn across the white triangle made by the fold. When one aged out of the Freelancers, the age-out was given their buckle to remind them of their time in the corps.

In addition, when going to parade rest in the retreat block, the corps deliberately smashed their horns into the buckles...a sound that made other corps cringe, as horn repairs were expensive.

[edit] 1987

With only a handful of experienced members the Freelancers took to the field and showed the Drum Corps world they were still a force to be reckoned with. Placing a respectable 19th overall.

[edit] 1988

In 1988, the Freelancers took the southern tour of the United States for their summer tour. That year was one of the hottest on record, and many very white teenagers returned to their parents far more tan than at any other point in their lives. The corps was 15th in the overall DCI standings, and therefore, was kept out of the finals. A mere 1.4 points divided the 15th placing from the 12th place spot in finals. Competition between the Freelancers, Bluecoats, Sky Riders, Dutch Boy, and the Crossmen had been brutal all year with each corps regularly placing above others in various events.

[edit] 1989

In 1989, the Sacramento Freelancers finally defeated the Velvet Knights of Anaheim, California, in Allentown, PA. From there, they went on to defeat them, once again, at the 1989 DCI Semi-Finals, and finally, in the DCI finals. In Arrowhead Stadium, the Freelancers took 10th place, 1 spot ahead of the Velvet Knights.

[edit] Staff

John Zimny was the Brass Arranger with Don Silva heading up the percussion. Paul Zimny headed up the visual program. Other influential staff members included Ralph Hardimon, Mike Grogan, Karl Sarff, Mike Bellanca, Chris Nalls and of course brass technique instructor Richie "You all Suck" Hodge who loved the Dolphins to the point that his Suzuki Samurai was painted in Dolphin colors, never a day went by when you couldn't find a Dolphins logo on him somewhere. More importantly, he taught young brass players how to get the most out of their feeble talents to sound more amazing than was believed possible..