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Catalog Number: VIS 201.0799
In this interview, Margaret Banton shares her experiences as a saxophonist in the United States Army Forces Command Band. She recalls her upbringing and having a deep respect for the military due to her family's history in the armed forces. She remembers playing music and attending college at the University of Minnesota and St. Catherine University before being told she should audition for a military band position. She describes the process of auditioning for the Marine Corps Band and eventually securing a position in the Army Band at Fort McPherson in Atlanta, Georgia. She includes stories of going through basic training as an Army musician and how her secondary duties of booking the band, coordinating tours, and marketing prepared her for many professional opportunities after her service. Banton discusses her performances, her move to the Air National Guard Band, and her career positions afterward. She describes the relationships she built in the military as that of family.