Tribute band stopping at River Campus

Mr. Jack Daniel's Silver Cornet Band is not like most other bands. The members of the band are actually doing a re-creation of the original band that was started back in 1892 by Jack Daniel, the creator of Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey. Now the band is coming to show off its unique brand of modernism and old-worldliness to Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus.

According to Jack Daniel's official website, the band's origins are traced back to the Lynchburg Square in Lynchburg, Tenn. Daniel created the band in order to draw crowds to the square and his two saloons, the White Rabbit and the Red Dog.

He gathered 13 "musicians," who were just random townspeople from Lynchburg, to play in the square, and despite their lack of experience, the band was a hit. It was even invited to play during former Democratic Party frontrunner William Jennings Bryan's presidential campaign and Tennessee gubernatorial candidate Robert Love Taylor's campaign. However, the band ended up disbanding in 1914 when the men of Lynchburg volunteered for service during World War I.

According to current band member and e-flat cornet player Bernie Walker, a man who was working for Jack Daniel's distillery found an old and faded photograph of the original band. Musician David Fulmer got ahold of the picture and came up with the idea for the re-creation of the original band. The band would be led by the "Perfesser," formerly performed by Fulmer, and they would bring back the old-timey feel of the original band. The "Perfesser" is the only band member with a speaking role, acting as a narrator for the show and a conductor for the band.

"The first tour I played in was December 1991," Walker said.

Walker joined the tour after the band had a member back out at the last minute. As a freelance musician based out of Franklin, Tenn., Walker said that it is not uncommon for him to be called in to work with all types of different musicians and music styles. He said that one thing that intrigued him about this particular band was the fact that they had a different sort of ensemble set-up: "nine brass, a couple of percussion and a guy who plays guitar and banjo."

He also said that the band has a unique arrangement musically, as well. The band plays a combination of music from the 1890s era and more modern sounding music. Some of the songs, according to Walker, are staples of popular music of the era that have become close to forgotten.

"They are one of the bands keeping the unique sounds of forgotten music alive in this day and age," Christie McKinney, a Southeast student, said.

Mr. Jack Daniel's Silver Cornet Band will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 12 at the Donald C. Bedell Performance Hall at the River Campus. Doors will open 30 minutes prior to show time. Shuttle service will be provided at the Hutson's Fine Furniture parking lot at 6:30 p.m. Tickets range from $12 to $22 and can be purchased at the River Campus box office or at rivercampusevents.com.

[a]Whitney Law:

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