Few things conjure up feelings of pride and patriotism like a big brass brand pounding out the strains of Stars and Stripes Forever or America the Beautiful. The Festive Brass of Myrtle Beach was organized 26 years ago by military veterans to honor America and its veterans through its musical performances. Today, the band continues its original mission with concerts and other performances around the Grand Strand, across the region, and even overseas.

The band was founded in 1998 by the Rev. Lawrence J. Beadle of Kettering, England. Beadle began his musical career playing in Salvation Army Bands and enlisted in the Royal Air Force at 18, soon becoming the principal trumpet of both the Royal Air Force Central Band and RAF Big Band. In 1992, after 56 years of ministry in both The Salvation Army and the United Methodist Church, he and his wife retired to Myrtle Beach. Beadle envisioned forming a British-style brass band whose primary mission would be to honor and support our local veteran community. Starting out with only eight musicians, the band has grown to more than 45 all-volunteer members.

Now in its 26th season, the band is widely recognized as the Grand Strand’s ceremonial brass band. Members include dedicated amateur musicians, music educators, professional musicians and gifted students. The band is true to its name—the all brass instruments represented include trumpets, coronets, French horns, trombones and tubas, supported by drums, chimes, xylophone and other percussion as needed. There are no reed or string instruments. Musical programs are rooted in America’s musical history by the playing of traditional marches, patriotic music, military service songs, classical works, big band, and more.

The band serves the Grand Strand community with annual performances on Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day, and has expanded its vision to support events honoring veterans nationally and internationally. The band performed for several years to welcome home Honor Flights for WWII, Korean War, and Vietnam War veterans after their trips to Washington, D.C.

Charles Dumas has been the band’s conductor and music director since 2021. He is also director of bands at Myrtle Beach High School, where he serves as department chair and auditorium manager. Dumas earned a Master of Arts in Music degree at University of North Carolina at Pembroke and recently completed a doctoral degree in Music Education from Liberty University.

“I have had music in my life from a very early age,” says Dumas. “I started in seventh grade playing clarinet and a few years later, the saxophone. I always wanted to play jazz music and when the opportunity in high school presented itself, I was hooked.”

Dumas has been a music educator for the last 36 years, having twice had the opportunity to follow his high school band director at two different schools, one in North Carolina and now in his current job as the band director at Myrtle Beach High School. “Coming to Myrtle Beach and settling here with my family has given me many new musical opportunities,” he continues. “With the Festive Brass, I have found a group of musicians who are more like friends and family than just random acquaintances and we have had several amazing musical adventures together from Pearl Harbor, Hawaii to Normandy and Paris, France.”

In the middle of the COVID pandemic in 2020, the band was invited by Music Celebrations International (MCI) on behalf of the mayor of Honolulu to be one of 20 other bands to perform for the 80th Anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. As part of that concert series, the band performed on December 6 and 7. Members played a role in honoring WWII veterans who were present and helped lay a wreath at the USS Arizona Memorial.

Jason Coker, president of the band, said the trip made a life-long impression on him.
 
“We were blessed to be able to represent our state at the 80th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attacks in Hawaii,” says Coker. “Not only were we able to experience performing across from the USS Arizona Memorial and next to the USS Bowfin, we were able to meet and thank many veterans who were there on that fateful day. Having the opportunity to show our thanks and to honor these amazing men and women meant everything to us and it was during this trip that we began to grow together into the band that we are today.”

Coker began playing trombone in fifth grade when a group of high school band students came to his elementary school to recruit. When the trombonist played “Imperial March” from The Empire Strikes Back, he was hooked! Coker continues, “I played throughout high school and graduated with a music degree from Wingate University. I have played with several symphonies including the Union Symphony, Long Bay Symphony, and Louisiana Philharmonic. I taught high school band in New Orleans, where I also performed. I taught high school in Graham, N.C. and middle school in Orange County, N.C.

Coker currently performs with several other groups, including “Sausage Fest,” a polka band that performs traditional and fun pop-polkas (Britney Spears Polka, anyone?) at many events and breweries in our area.

Coker adds that the chemistry of the group has evolved and strengthened through the years. They spend so much time rehearsing, performing and traveling together, that they really have become a big, musical family. “We not only support each other musically,” he says, “but with friendship and love, just like a family. Music is the closest thing we have to telepathy and we are all so close, we can anticipate other’s musical tendencies, even breathing together!”

More recently, the band was honored to perform in Normandy, France for the 80th Anniversary of D-Day, June 6, 2024.

Jennifer Egan, the band’s immediate past president, remarks: “On the hallowed ground of Normandy, amidst echoes of valor and sacrifice, we found ourselves not just performing music, but bearing witness to living history. I had the privilege of meeting a French woman who met us before our concert in Trevieres. She greeted us with much gratitude for making the trip to play for the French people. Her words to me echoed across generations, reminding us that music transcends borders, uniting hearts in remembrance and gratitude as she said, ‘I am so grateful that you and the other American groups came to France and gave us joy, beauty, and a piece of your beautiful and great country. Your veterans have saved my country twice, and your country is hope, liberty and protection for others. Your national anthem gives me tears in my eyes, and in my heart I feel a little—a lot—passionately American.’”

The band performed several times in Normandy and band members had the opportunity to visit numerous historical sites.

Dumas went on to say, “One of our primary musical responsibilities as an ensemble is to be part of the Veterans Day and Memorial Day services for the city of Myrtle Beach. Both as a group and personally, these two performances encompass our commitment to our veterans in the Myrtle Beach and Horry County area and also serve to pay tribute to those who could not return home. As the son of a U.S. Army veteran, it speaks to me personally every time we are able to perform the service songs and recognize our veterans and their families. We also perform in several churches along the Grand Strand and beyond, with performances ranging from Calabash, N.C., down to historic Georgetown, S.C. It is our honor and privilege to bring ceremonial brass band music to the Grand Strand, and we welcome any opportunity to perform in our community.” 

The band survives very well indeed as a not-for-profit, low-budget operation. Dave Howard is a past president and serves as the current treasurer.

“We have no dues or fees,” says Howard. “Donations and any other revenue we may collect from occasional performances are kept in an account that provides sheet music and some travel expenses. Members provide their own instruments but the band provides every member a shirt to wear for performances.”

Howard also serves as the band’s music cal arranger and oversees the 25-year-old library of sheet music, which is constantly growing. He is quite often tasked with taking sheet music for a wider range of instruments and composing it into brass band format. He also plays the tuba and is known to members as “Doctor Low Notes.” He began playing low brass instruments when he was just 10 years old. Howard earned a veterinary degree at the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine. He practiced animal medicine for 32 years in New York and 10 years in Myrtle Beach before retiring.

Band members represent a cross section of the Grand Strand community. Ages range from 18 to 80. Egan has a communications degree from Northwestern University of St. Paul and a career in marketing communications. Greg Fischel, a retired television meteorologist, is a member. Other members include current and former band directors like Dumas and Coker, sales people, housewives and mothers, veterans, property managers, teachers, and business executives.

If you are a brass musician looking for a supportive community ensemble to grow in your musical ability, please contact the band and/or complete the form on its webpage. For more information about the Festive Brass of Myrtle Beach and its upcoming events, please visit its website at www.festivebrass.org or contact the band’s president, Jason Coker, at festivebrassmb@gmail.com