Drum and bugle corps flourished during the "golden years" of the 1960's. America bulged with thousands of competitive units. But the genre was strongest...at its peak in the Midwest: Wisconsin, and Illinois.

The Royal Airs, Cavaliers, Kilties, Vanguard, Troopers and Imperials seemed to dominate the Midwest during the 1960's. However, other corps had glorious moments: The Madison Explorer Scouts, The Racine Scouts, The McHenry Viscounts, The Morton Grove Cougars, The Millstadt Crusaders, The Nisei Ambassadors, The Spartans, Phantom Regiment, Black Knights, Ottawa Crusaders, Chi-Angels, Aurora Vaqueros, St. Alexis Vikings, St. Mathias Cadets, Maple City Cadets, The Spartans, Custer's Brigade. The list is almost endless. Note the emphasis on satin uniforms in the early part of the decade.

The 1962 Morton Grove Cougars: always strong in drums. Merged with Chi-Angels to become "The Spartans"
The McHenry Viscounts: always strong in brass; actually beat '65 Royal Air hornline once. Merged with St. Alexis Vikings in 1967 to become Viking/Viscounts.
The St. Michael's Chi-Angels: Always strong brass
The Spectacle City Mariners from South Milwaukee. Cap'n Crunch and the bunch were always crowd-pleasers, and guard shot explosives from flag pikes.
The Rockford Phantom Regiment in those outstanding uniforms, circa 1965.
The Madison Capitolaires became Capital Sound
The 1960 Phantom Regiment in their first uniforms.
The Imperials of Norwood Park in their earliest uniforms.
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The Cougars and Chi-angels merged in 1964 to become the Spartans. In 1965 many went to RA and helped them with 3 national titles.

Racine Scouts and "Iwo Jima" in 1965.
Madison Scouts in their West Point uniforms in 1965.
The Madison Scouts in 1960.

The Aurora Vaqueros, once the "Moose Minutemen"(in the '50's), offered an exciting Spanish repertoire.
The St. Mathias Cadets of Milwaukee. Always solid in every caption.



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St.Joe's of Batavia, NY, 1964: Senior Alums have honored Royal Airs by playing selected RA tunes in their '90's Shows.
The Maple City Cadets of LaPorte, Indiana