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Drumroll, please: When bands take the field at Florida Power Park, one big one will mark a milestone.
By DONNA WINCHESTER, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times, published April 10, 2002
Tina Nellis came across the small newspaper article in 1983. Second Time Arounders Band to be organized for festival, the headline read.
Intrigued, she scanned the article and learned that a group of former high school and college band members was forming to play in the upcoming Festival of States field show and parade.
The St. Petersburg native thought it sounded like fun. She dug out the flute she had played in the band at Gibbs High a few years earlier and showed up for the first rehearsal.
Nellis, 40, is still showing up for rehearsals. Except for 1993, when her daughter was born on the night of the field show, she has performed with the Second Time Arounders at every Festival of States for nearly two decades.
On Thursday night, she will take her place on the field at Florida Power Park for the Strike Up the Band Field Show Spectacular to celebrate the band's 20th year with the festival. Joining the 450-member "Rounders," as they call themselves, will be the U.S. Naval Academy Band, the Florida Divisional Band of the Salvation Army, and the St. Petersburg College band.
Bands from Riviera Middle School, Boca Ciega High, St. Petersburg High and Seminole High also will perform, along with Music Is Ageless, a music education group featuring students from 19 public and private elementary schools.
"The heart and soul of the Second Time Arounders is the field show," band co-founder Bill Findeison said. "We enjoy the parade, but the real opportunity to perform is in the field show."
Findeison, a former band director at Lakewood High, brought the anniversary field show idea to the Suncoasters, the volunteer group that produces the festival, about a year ago. With the decline in recent years of out-of-state high school bands at Champions on Parade, the festival's annual field show, the plan was to invite other "old-timer" bands this year. Unfortunately, the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks changed those plans for the out-of-town bands, Findeison said.
"We didn't want it to not happen," he said. "I started going around and contacting other groups in the area to see if they would be willing to perform in commemoration of our 20th anniversary."
A similar determination prompted the birth of the band in 1983.
Findeison, who also is a Suncoaster, was wondering aloud with then-festival executive director Herb Melleney about where former high school and college band members go to play music after they graduate. Thinking such a group would be an interesting addition to the festival, they announced the opportunity in the newspaper, gathered some music and called a rehearsal.
"I had no idea whether the people that came were going to be good or if we'd have too many of one instrument and not enough of another," he said. "When we rehearsed that first night, I was surprised at how good they were. We threw the music out and got some heavier music for the next rehearsal."
What started as a one-time venture with 70 performers took hold and flourished. In addition to performing annually at the Festival of States, the members, who range in age from 18 to 94 and come from all walks of life, have performed at Disney World and at festivals in Portland, Ore., and San Antonio, Texas. Last year, they performed in Dublin, Ireland.
Findeison has put together an ambitious lineup for Thursday's show. The Rounders will perform a medley from the Sound of Music, a Jimmy Buffet medley and a Blues Brothers medley. A Second Time Arounders salute, directed by WTVT-TV Ch. 13's John Wilson, the band's former drum major, and a rendition of America the Beautiful will round out the show.
After 20 years, Findeison thinks the results are worth the effort.
"The whole concept is the celebration of music," he said. "It shows the lifelong possibility of enjoying music through participation rather than just listening."
Tina Nellis hopes to keep playing music with the Rounders until they celebrate their 90th anniversary.
"Little did my mom know when she rented the flute for me when I was in sixth grade that I'd still be playing it today."
The Strike Up the Band Field Show Extravaganza featuring the Second Time Arounders begins at 7 p.m. Thursday at Florida Power Park in downtown St. Petersburg. Tickets are $10 for adults, and $5 for seniors over 65 and students 18 and younger.