Bill Howard (10)

Bill Howard was a longtime director of the Madison Scouts Drum & Bugle Corps of Madison, WI and one of the founding directors of Drum Corps International. A 1994 inductee into the DCI Hall of Fame, Howard got his start with the Madison Scouts organization as a soprano bugler in the early 1950s. From that point on, he was never far from the corps and continued as a strong supporter of both the Scouts and Drum Corps International. When Howard became director of the Madison Scouts in 1969, he found a corps just barely hanging on, with only 17 brass players attending the first rehearsal. Bill – along with Don Warren (6) (Chicago Cavaliers), Jim Jones (41) (The Troopers Drum And Bugle Corps), Dr. David Kampschroer (Blue Stars Drum And Bugle Corps) and [a4670281] ([a473043]) – formed the Midwest Combine in 1971 to provide drum corps more control over their financial and creative destinies. This group was the impetus for the formation of Drum Corps International in 1972 and galvanized Howard’s place in drum corps history. As the director of the corps in the 1970s, Bill’s impact on the members was lasting. He was fiery competitive and demanded excellence from everyone associated with the corps. He fostered an environment that demanded loyalty, effort and results in every aspect of the organization, tenets that all Madison Scouts recognize as foundations of the corps. Throughout his tenure, the Scouts were tremendously popular and fixtures at DCI Finals, during a time when upwards of 60 corps competed in DCI Prelims. As well, Bill led the Scouts to CYO National Championships in 1974 and 1975. The highlight of his directorship, however, was the corps’ first-ever DCI World Championship in 1975. In 1980, after winning what is considered by many to be the last meaningful VFW Championship, he stepped down as director, turning the reigns over to his trusted protégé, Scott Stewart (13). Upon leaving the role of Madison Scouts director, Howard spent three decades assisting in the management of the corps’ finances, many of those years while serving on the organization’s board of directors. Howard passed away in January of 2016 at the age of 81.