UMass Drumline performs with Six String Soldiers

The US Army Field Band’s Six String Soldiers and students in the UMass Marching Band’s spring marching percussion tech class got together this week for a special performance at the George N. Parks Minuteman Marching Band Building.

They’re performing a mashup of “Johnny Comes Marching Home” and the UMass Cadence.

Army guitarist Glenn Robertson ’05 is a UMass Drumline alum.

The Six-String Soldiers trace their roots to The Volunteers, a folk trio formed within the U.S. Army Field Band in 1970. The original group consisted of talented musicians who had already performed together professionally before enlisting. They toured nationally until 1973, then returned in 1981 as an official touring component under original member Dennis Blanchard. Over the next three decades, The Volunteers recorded albums, performed for troops and civilian audiences, and became known for bringing contemporary acoustic music to the Army’s outreach mission.  

In 2013, members of The Volunteers began experimenting with acoustic instrumentation and Americana-inspired arrangements. The enthusiastic response from audiences and on social media led to the creation of the Six-String Soldiers in 2015 as the U.S. Army Field Band’s newest performing ensemble. Today, the group performs an energetic blend of bluegrass, country, folk, rock, and Americana while continuing the Field Band’s mission as the Army’s “Musical Ambassadors,” connecting communities with Soldiers through live performances, educational outreach, and digital media.