John Philip Sousa was an American entertainer and composer. He is best remembered for his marches, his band, and his patriotism. Known as the "March King," he wrote 136 marches, including The Stars and Stripes Forever, the national march of the United States. (If you go to the "Jammin' Jukebox" in the See, Hear & Sing" section, you can listen to it.) He also wrote many other musical pieces, including operettas, popular songs, waltzes and more, as well as seven books and many articles. He first became famous while serving as the leader of the U.S. Marine Band. Later he formed his own band, the Sousa Band, which toured for 39 years and entertained millions of people.

In 1892, John Philip Sousa was 35 years old. He had been the leader of the U.S. Marine Band for 12 years and was ready to do something different. On July 30, 1892, he resigned from the Marine Corps to start his own band. But what kind of band would it be?

Sousa thought about the kinds of bands that were popular at the time: brass bands, military bands, beer hall bands, and symphony orchestras. Then he combined all the things he liked about each type to form his new band, the Sousa Band. One newspaper called it "a military orchestra" because it had the instruments of a military band, but could sound like a symphony orchestra. It took a few months for the Sousa Band to get rolling, but once it did, the band stayed popular for almost 40 years. Year after year they played for sold-out crowds all over America, and, later, all over the world.

As the leader of the Sousa Band, Sousa was very busy. He chose the music for each concert. Because the band was made up of a unique combination of instruments, Sousa had to adapt the written music for each song to the musicians in his band. Sousa also helped make managerial decisions, including the design of the band's uniform and which towns they would visit on tour.

Most important, Sousa was the band's conductor. A band conductor, like a symphony conductor, is on stage with the musicians. The conductor interprets how the music will be played. During a performance, he tells the band how to play by moving his body and baton. Since it can be hard for the musicians to hear each other play, the conductor also sets the tempo (speed of playing)and makes sure all the musicians play together. Some conductors are very dramatic and emotional, but not Sousa. His movements were energetic, but controlled and efficient. When he moved, his band responded. With a small wave of his baton, Sousa could command a very loud roar or absolute silence.

With its popular reputation and good wages, the Sousa Band was able to recruit some of the best musicians around.

For 39 years, this large group toured the country by train. A Sousa Band tour would last for many months, often with several performances each day and only a few days off for travel between cities. The band traveled to every corner of the United States and did several European tours and one world tour. Together they traveled more than 1 million miles, and they still managed to find the time for other fun. The band had its own baseball team, and Sousa was the pitcher. They played against local baseball teams and those of rival bands. Sousa even wrote a march song about baseball called "The National Game."

During his prime, Sousa was one of the best-known musicians in the world. Many consider him to be the first American superstar. He and his band had fans in every America town, as well as overseas. When the Sousa Band started touring, people didn't have radios or televisions. Some members of their audience had seen smaller bands or played music at home with their families, but a Sousa Band performance was their first exposure to classical music and professional musicians. It was also their chance to see a famous composer. Sousa's marches, from his dance hit The Washington Post to his patriotic march The Stars and Stripes Forever, were wildly popular. And people loved hearing them played by the actual composer and his band. Many towns declared it "Sousa Day" when the band came to town.

The Sousa Band was an ideal band for their time. As a newspaper reviewer wrote, "A concert by Sousa's Band is more than a mere concert, it is a dramatic performance, a stirring lesson in patriotism, and a popular musical event, all on the same program."