Jim Donnelly was a World War I veteran who modernized the North American drum and bugle corps activity through his musical genius and instrument innovations. He is best known as the musical director of St. Vincent’s Cadets, Bayonne, NJ, selected as the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame junior corps for the 1950’s, but was earlier associated with the Harry Doremus American Legion Post in Paterson, NJ. He helped remove the musical limitations of straight G bugles through the introduction of the D crook and the piston. He helped introduce the French horn and obligato soprano horn to the brass line of drum and bugle corps. St. Vincent’s Cadets were Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) New Jersey state champions twelve times between 1944-57; American Legion state champions seven times between 1949-59; VFW national champions eight times between 1946-57; American Legion national champions 1951 through 1953. St. Vincent’s is the only corps ever to win the round robin twice: 1951-52 VFW state, Legion state, VFW nationals, and Legion nationals 1951, 52 and 53.
*Deceased
