If you’ve ever driven around the “woods” of Northern MI and have gotten inspired by the scenery? You’re not alone… Famed bandleader/composer John Phillip Sousa (aka “The March King”) did the same thing when he visited Michigan in 1930.

He was SO inspired by the lovely scenery that he not only wrote The Northern Pines march in honor of Northern Michigan – but also donated royalties from the song to the Interlochen music camp’s scholarship fund – and dedicated the song itself to the camp. You can read more about all of this here.

This story has a special place in my heart because one of my own relatives – my great-great-Aunt Virginia – was a student at Interlochen in 1930 – when Sousa visited the camp. It remained one of her fondest childhood memories, and trickled down to become a favorite “family” story. Sousa was a virtual superstar at the time, and the Interlochen visit occurred during his last years (he died in 1932).

Aunt Virginia wound up playing the bass violin in her high school orchestra simply because her band conductor said her long fingers were well suited for the job! She continued playing the bass violin throughout her adult life in professional local orchestras. She died in 2011 – when she died, I decreed that she had gone to the Great Gig in the Sky when I mourned her death…

Since it’s July 4? What better day to give Sousa’s most famous march – Stars and Stripes Forever – a listen? I think it’s one of the best “put together” songs of all time… It’s absolute….perfection. Every instrument has something interesting to do – and when played by the right band/orchestra it will send chills down your spine. But maybe that’s just…me! I certainly got a kick out of playing it when I was in high school band (even if I didn’t play piccolo and get to do a solo)!