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Member Information
AHCB Hall of Fame
Robert Lord
- Drums & Percussion
- Member 1986-2010
- Hall of Fame Class of 2023
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Bob Lord was an original member, our first Band President, and was a key leader in defining our philosophies and getting us organized. Bob, an engineer by day, led efforts to conceive and build the structure of the band. He led much of the transition from an Adult Education Band Class to the After Hours Community Band that we know and love.
Bob, and his wife Judy, were members of that band class in the spring of 1986. The class had so much fun, that when the semester ended, they decided to keep going, independently from the Adult Education setting. Two members of that class (Ron and Joyce Pettus) offered space to rehearse through the summer of 1986. By the end of the summer, the now 17-member band put on the historic “driveway concert”. No longer fitting in the Pettus basement and needing to return borrowed music, it was clear a new space, access to music and more organization was required. This is where Bob Lord really made his mark on this band. Bob was instrumental in establishing the band’s philosophy that emphasized having fun, serving the community, and providing a band home for all amateur band musicians. This philosophy led us to be an all-volunteer, no-fee band, playing at diverse venues including civic and community events. We strive to maximize both the musical AND social aspects of being a band. And the band has flourished.
Bob led a number of the initial defining activities of the band. He was elected our first band president in December 1986. In 1987, Bob was key in the work of the charter and bylaws committee getting us organized as an official not-for-profit corporation. That first year, he also organized our first public performances.
Bob had other “firsts” with this band. He led the committee for our first equipment purchase – two timpani. In keeping with the band philosophy of having fun, the committee conceived of our first (and pretty much only) “fun” raiser: Bob Bucks. Members of the band canvassed friends, family and local businesses for donations and in return, they got Bob Bucks. Here is a picture of a button made up at that time – that’s Bob in the center.
All of that work by Bob and many others meant that by the summer of 1987, less than two years after the initial band class, the band had expanded to 65 members, performed concerts at shopping malls, retirement centers and civic events, had a charter and bylaws, was incorporated in the state of Missouri, and had applied to become a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) organization. Whew!
Bob continued to be involved as a leader in the band organization. He served on the Board of Directors in several different roles over the years, and was a member of committees to codify our policies, update our Band history, and plan our Community Band Weekend.
Later in his band career, Bob conceived of a new community outreach venue for the band – the band scholarship. By the early 2000s, the band had established a robust budget funded by unsolicited donations that more than met our needs. Bob saw the opportunity for the band to influence young musicians to take up band instruments. Through Carol Commerford’s connections with the Webster University Community Music School, the band established a scholarship for private one-on-one lessons for those learning a band instrument. The scholarship, which has awarded over $21,000 to date, is both a line item in our band budget and funded by audience donations at our concerts.
And, through it all, Bob was playing in the percussion section. In addition to his steady beat for performances, Bob was section leader for many years. And he was active in organizing ensembles for our annual Ensembles Concert (who remembers the Sheiks of Rhythm?) and even spun off the Dixie Rhythm Kings into a separate performing organization.
As our first Band President, and for all of the many years of service to the band in so many roles, Bob was elected to the AHCB Hall of Fame inaugural class. Though he and Judy have retired from the band, they have kept in touch. When contacted, Bob brought these personal remembrances:
“The first year was very exciting and fulfilling as a group of people came together and organized the AHCB. It was all new to us and each step in the process was of great interest. Perhaps the most gratifying aspect of this experience for me is the realization that this musical organization we created almost 40 years ago is still going strong and will continue for many years to come.”
