Every generation of UMass band members has its soundtrack.
For some, it’s the cadence that echoed across campus on the way to McGuirk Alumni Stadium. For others, it’s the groove and monkey beats that carried them through parades, exhibitions, and postgame marches. The faces changed. The uniforms evolved. But the cadence always remained at the heart of the Minuteman Marching Band experience.
At Thom Hannum’s retirement celebration, attended by hundreds of drumline and band alumni spanning multiple generations, those memories came rushing back in a unique tribute.
Created by drumline alumnus Olin Johannessen, a special video presentation traced the evolution of UMass cadences over four decades. Blending archival recordings, video footage, and familiar rhythms, the production highlighted how the sound of the UMass Drumline evolved under Thom’s leadership while maintaining its unmistakable identity.
The result was more than a history lesson. It was a reunion in sound.
As each cadence evolution emerged from the speakers, alumni could be seen smiling, laughing, pointing at the screen, and occasionally playing along on their laps. Every era had its favorite beats. Every generation had its memories. Together, they told the story of a program that continually pushed forward while honoring its roots.
For thousands of drummers who passed through Amherst, the cadence was more than a warmup or street beats. They were shared experiences—learned from upperclassmen, refined through repetition, and passed to the next generation. They became part of the language of the Minuteman Marching Band.
The video served as a fitting tribute to Thom Hannum’s remarkable legacy. Few educators have influenced marching percussion as profoundly, and few programs have left a larger mark on the activity than the one he helped build at UMass.
Our thanks to Olin Johannessen for creating this memorable retrospective and helping preserve an important piece of Minuteman Band history.
Some traditions are written down. Others are passed from one set of sticks to the next.