The year Barbara Flowers first picked up a flag, Dwight Eisenhower was in the White House and Yogi Berra was behind the plate at Yankee Stadium. It is simply astounding that anyone could be in the Drum Corps activity continuously for 70 years, but don’t tell her that.
Beginning in the Chili Fire Department D&B Corps from ’53 to ‘56, she then spent 14 years with the Alpine Girls, joining the Rochester Crusaders in ’72 for their Legion Championship season. In ’83 Barbara transitioned from guard to percussion and marched 2 seasons with the CT Hurricanes. By 1987, the Alumni Corps movement had caught her attention. From then until 2020, she performed with the Reading Bucs, Archer-Epler, the American Originals, Caballeros, Reilly Raiders, Yankee Rebels and Blessed Sacrament alumni corps, sometimes simultaneously.
Barbara has instructed the guard of the National Champion Westshoremen, the Liberty Belles, Black Watch, Ohio Brass Factory and Empire State Express. She has judged for both the All-American and National Associations, is a member of the KIDA, Pennsylvania, and Maryland Drum Corps Halls of Fame, and was DCA Individual Cymbal Champion on 2 occasions. At present, you’ll find her in the powerful percussion section of the Hanover Lancers.
“It ain’t over ‘til it’s over”, said Yogi. For Barbara Flowers, apparently, it’s never over.
