Mrs. Hooton marched in her first parade as Drum Major at the age of seven. She began studying trumpet at the age of 8 and continued trumpet study for 17 years, the majority of time at the Eastman School for the Performing Arts. She was solo trumpet in her high school marching band, church, and solo soprano with the Henrietta Drum Corps. She marched with the Chili Crimson Cadets, Gates-Chili, and the Crusaders as a glockenspiel player, drum major, and color guard captain. Carol was one of the first women to be certified to judge brass for the All-American Judges Association. During her marching career, Carol wrote for Drum Corps News, Off the Line, Drum Corps World, Eastern Review and Cadence Magazine. Carol is currently the Informations System Chairman for the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame.
