Jack Pratt is one of the most prolific percussion writers in the drum corps community. He served as rudimental drum instructor of field music with the U.S. Military Academy band at West Point from 1950 to 1969, and was one the first to urge the use of large drum lines, paving the way to modern percussion sections of 30 or more members which began to appear on the contest field by the late 1960s. As an exponent of large drum lines, he urged that the level of difficulty not be reduced and that various performance factors not be sacrificed. His contributions and achievements in drumming were further recognized when he was inducted as a member of the world-wide Percussive Arts Society. He taught the Interstatesmen in the 1960s, when he introduced the rudimental bass drum to the drum corps community, as part of his unique concept of percussion voicing. He has been associated with a number of other corps, including Geneva Appleknockers, Troop 12 Indians, Kingsmen, Lakers, Criterions, Hawthorne Caballeros, King’s Regiment, Doremus Post, Crimson Kings Tri-County Cavaliers, Rochester Grey Knights, Ambassadors. He has judged for the All American and Metro All American associations.
*Deceased
