Ray Samora spent his business life in music and video productions. He created the Drum Corps News publication and also established and headed Fleetwood Recording Studios, which recorded drum and bugle corps competitions across the continent in the 1950s and ‘60s, then produced and distributed LP records through a wide variety of retail outlets. Fleetwood introduced hi-fi and stereo sound to drum corps albums, eight track and tape cassettes. Fleetwood, founded with partner Vincent Giarusso, also produced sports albums, including one titled “Impossible Dream,” which chronicled the 1967 Boston Red Sox baseball team. He was producer of the World Open Championships and Danny Thomas Invitational contests for many years. He also produced the Carnegie Hall and Felt Forum indoor winter concerts. The World Open Championship was the first international championship contest, the forerunner of later national-scale competitions as the CYO Championships, U.S. Open, Drum Corps International (DCI) and Drum Corps Associates (DCA) championship tournaments.
*Deceased
