Lots of families look forward to summer concerts from their local community band. For parents and grandparents, it's enjoyable and nostalgic music from childhood.
For the young ones, it can be a chance to meet some other kids and practice conducting or marching around.
There is a very unique band that has been bringing sounds of summer to crowds for almost a century.
WCMU's David Nicholas had a chance to talk to conductor Joe Radtke about the Saginaw Eddy Band.
This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity and length.
David Nicholas: You, Joe Radke, lead one of those, but you're also conductor of the Saginaw Eddie Band. Different kind of performing group. What makes this band unique?
Joe Radtke: Well, it is a central aspect of the Saginaw community. It was founded by a band member 100 years ago and his friend was CK Eddy of Saginaw Lumber Tycoon and convinced his friend to make the Eddie band as part of a trust fund. So that's why it's called the Eddy Band. Is because the trust Fund is part of the Eddy family. And we've been performing concerts in Saginaw for free since then. So and this is our 99th season, we're almost 200 and it's pretty amazing.
DN: And this is steadily then the founding and the 99 years going into this summer, then of concerts, the group has performed every year, then you're saying.
JR: Every year except for one. And that just so happens to be the year of the pandemic. So we've had steady seasons every year except for the year. We couldn't have concerts.
DN: Does anything differ in in terms of the type of music that you play, given perhaps the musicians that are attracted to this band become a part of this band? Do we? Are we treated to things that are a little bit different when it comes to a performance by the Eddie Band?
JR: When I program concerts for the band, I think of the families that are coming to watch it. So I try to program something for the older generation, the middle generation and the youngest generation. So if you come to an Eddy band concert, you're going to hear a little of everything from a Sousa March all the way to video game music. The nice thing about this band is since we have some financial support, I can hire the best musicians and with the best musicians, we can perform just about any kind of music that you can think of.
DN: You mentioned that this is the 99th season, I would imagine, and we won't let the cat out of the bag for what's coming up in the Centennial year. I'm sure there's special things. What types of programs are on the bill for this year? What types of selections are you looking to perform with the group this season?
JR: Well, our first concert, June 16th is titled the National Game. So there's a whole bunch of music about baseball and the next one after that is on June 23rd. It's all an act is all things about musicals and shows. Those and then our most popular concert probably is the one that's on the 30th of June this year. That is the Independence Day concert. And then we have a story concert on the 7th, a Spanish concert on the 14th, a concert full of festival music on the 21st and. A bunch of favorites on the 28th and on August 4th we have a concert called Song and Dance. So we have different something for everybody on on every concert this summer.
DN: And nearly 100 years of music making by the Saginaw Eddie Band and passed down through the generations, the latest to have that baton conductor, Joe Radke. Joe, thanks very much for taking the time to talk with us. All the best and lots of fun with the band this year and congratulations. In advance for the Centennial coming up in 2025.
JR: Thank you, David.
