During his drum corps involvement spanning more than 50 years, Anthony Smith has made a major impact on the activity as a percussionist, visual designer and through his work in administration and management. He won several individual championships as a snare drummer. As a member of Boston Crusaders at age 18, he helped design and played the first double bass drum in drum corps history. When he auditioned for the United States Air Force Drum and Bugle Corps, not only was he accepted immediately but offered a teaching position moments after his audition. However, he chose to attend private college instead of marching. He helped restructure the Boston Crusaders in 1983 to keep the corps from folding then remained corps director until 1995. Since he rejoined the Concord Blue Devils in 2006 as visual design consultant the corps has won three Drum Corps International (DCI) titles. He had also been design consultant from 1979 to 1982. As the visual caption chairman for Drum Corps Associates (DCA)), he has helped pioneer a new judging system that takes into effect the entertainment values of field programs. He began judging percussion and visual captions for DCI, DCA and MJA in the early 1970s. He has been a drill designer or consultant with such well-known units as New York Skyliners, Crossmen, Boston Crusaders. He joined Boston Crusaders in 1962 as a baritone player then switched to play snare drum with the Valiants for two years before returning to Crusaders in 1965. His brother Neal Smith was inducted into the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame in 2008.
