An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
HomeMultimediaNewsArticle Display

Airmen of Note on Tour!

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sgt. Kevin Burns
  • The USAF Band
JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING, D.C. --  This month the Airmen of Note will board the bus and head south for their spring tour. The first few days will be spent in southern Virginia, followed by stops while crossing through the entire state of Tennessee and finally winding up with some dates in Arkansas. The tour will also include one date in northern Mississippi.

"I always enjoy getting out on the road and performing in different areas of the country, but I'm particularly happy about this tour because we have a concert in my hometown of Cleveland, Tenn.," said split lead trumpeter Senior Master Sgt. Kevin Burns. "I'll get to perform a feature number with the band that night in front of my family and many lifelong friends."

Sergeant Burns continued, "When we get into the Nashville area, I'll also get to see my high school jazz band director who teaches there now. It's going to be a fun trip re-connecting with my past and my home state."

Vocalist Tech. Sgt. Paige Martin also claims Tennessee as her second home state. She attended college, lived and performed in Knoxville prior to joining the Airmen of Note.

The Airmen of Note's music director, Senior Master Sgt. Joe Jackson, is preparing a program that celebrates the 60th anniversary of the group. In Sergeant Jackson's words, "We've had almost a full year of special events highlighting the incredible legacy the 'Note' has enjoyed over the past six decades. The current members of the Airmen of Note stand on the shoulders of the remarkable musicians from our past 60 years that helped establish the world-class reputation we strive to sustain today. This tour is our last official component of a yearlong celebration."

Sergeant Jackson dug deep in the music library of the Airmen of Note for this tour, and has been rehearsing the group with some great older arrangements that were recorded by the ensemble throughout it's 60-year history.

Another bonus for audience members attending the concerts during the band's spring tour is the complimentary CD they will receive. The tour program provided to each member of the audience has a sleeve containing a 60th Anniversary CD. The special compilation contains tunes recorded by each era of the Airmen of Note, from the first recordings that were made in the early 1950s to today.

The Airmen of Note's tour schedule will be posted on The USAF Band's calendar section of our website. You can also keep up with the "Note's" day-to-day activities while on the road via their Facebook page.