“Approaching from the sidelines is the Bluffton High School alumni marching band!”

Listen for that announcement at Friday’s Harmon Field football pre-game. Then sit back and listen to living musical ghosts of Pirate bands going all the way back to the Jo Souder-era of the early 1960s.

Racheal Lewis, Bluffton schools strings teacher, first invited BHS band alumni to perform as a marching band in 2013. The band, consisting of anyone who once wore a BHS band uniform, performs in a pre-game every other year.

This year’s band includes 30 BHS alums playing instruments and 11 former flag members.

The alums will join this year’s marching band to perform the BHS Fight Song. Then, the alumni flags and drummers will join this year’s flags and drummers, and the combined bands will play Hang on Sloopy, followed by Get Ready for This.

Once that’s over, the combined bands will form a tunnel on the field, playing the Fight Song followed by Star Spangled Banner.

If you miss Friday's performance, you'll get another chance in September 2021.

Alumni band members:
Leah Tabler, Sarah Holt Lehman, Kayla May, Beth Raeburn, Amy Gallant Linaberry, Rachel Clawson Lewis, Brook Koontz, Beth Cunningham, Jake Spencer, Erica Kleman Conrad,  Katie Frazier.

Bridgette Herr Hoff, Heidi Epp-Steiner, Jared Lehman, Travis Unterbrink, Sydney Hoff, Hannah Yost, Kristi Groman-Schey, Tonya Davies Frazier, Will Deitsch, Andrew Hoff, Fred Steiner, Heather May, Dylan Stevens, Liz Leis, Caleb Mikesell, Kristi Owsley, Michelle Blubaugh, Debb Herr and James Crawfis.

Alumni flags:
Brittany Steele Mustard, Samantha Shrider, Jill Carpenter Heinz, Kayla Pifer, Sabrina Shrider, Annie Campbell, Kate Alt, Wynter Wise, Tammy Cottle, Sarah Steiner Moyer and Cinnamon Luma Crystal.

Invitation to join:
Former band members interested in being added to the Lewis alumni band email list for future performance may contact her at: [email protected]