Gruber, Jim

Gruber, Jim

Jim Gruber’s record of drum corps activity is a model of consistency, with participation as a performer and administrator over 35 years all with the same organization: Reading Buccaneers. Although the Buccaneers were selected by World Drum Corps Hall of Fame as the corps of the decade for the years 2000 to 2009, the organization faced a serious crisis in the mid 1990s, following seven straight below average seasons. In 1995, he was selected executive director at a meeting to determine if the corps should cease activity or continue. With no previous drum corps administration experience, he made an immediate positive impact. During the following four seasons, the Bucs regained their Drum Corps Associates (DCA) top 10 status, rising to second place in the finals by 1999 and settling on classical music as a continuing theme. He also served as membership chairman in 1997 and 1998. Under his direction, the Buccaneers won five straight DCA titles from 2005 to 2009, scoring 99.025 in 2009, the highest score ever recorded in the finals. During this championship reign, the Buccaneers won 47 consecutive contests. He was DCA’s director of the year in 1999, 2005, 2006 and 2007. During his 14 years as executive director, the Bucs have finished in DCA’s top three in 10 of those years. Beginning in 1976, he marched in the horn line, at various times playing mellophone, French horn, soprano, baritone and alto horns. While he performed in the horn line, the Bucs won DCA titles in 1979 and 1980. He is a charter member of the Buccaneers alumni corps, established in 1987. He was inducted as a lifetime member of the Pennsylvania Drum Corps Hall of Fame in 2010. He was named a charter associate member of the Hall of Fame in 2001 and was inducted into the Reading Buccaneer Hall of Fame in 1999.