Army Band scores hit CD, sales to build museum

[darrels joy]

Army Band scores hit CD, sales to build museum

By Courtney Hickson

WASHINGTON (Army News Service July 27, 2004) -- The U.S. Army Band (Pershing's Own) has a chart-topping CD; "Hero for Today" has reached number nine on the Billboard Top Classical Albums.

For the week of July 8 the CD by the Army Band and Chorus was ranked number nine, but this is not the first time this CD has been on the charts. When it debuted Hero for Today came onto the charts at number 15 the week of June 26. There have been 7,500 CDs sold so far according to David A. Sellers director of marketing at Altissimo! Records.

Hero for Today is a joint effort between Altissimo! Records and the Army Historical Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of the American Soldier.

A part of the proceeds from Hero for Today will be donated to the Army Historical Foundation.

Director of Marketing for the Army Historical Foundation David Lewis said the foundation began talks with the Army Band Alumni Association to look at a way to bring Army Band music to the market. The Army Historical Foundation licensed its name and logo to Altissimo! Records and will receive a part of the royalties. The money will go to building the National Museum of the United States Army.

Lewis said this project is a ?win-win? situation for all parties involved. He said it allows for the foundation to get its name and purpose out to the public. He also said in order for the museum to be built, the foundation needs to raise more then $200 million the Army has already budgeted for $90 million in addition to land and infrastructure support. The museum is on schedule to be completed in 2009, according to Lewis.

The CD has a mix of patriot songs including: Heroic Fanfare, Hymn To The Fallen (From Saving Private Ryan), A Hero For Today, Battle Hymn Of The Republic, America The Beautiful, God Bless The U.S.A., Here's To America, The Last Full Measure Of Devotion, We Were There, This Is My Country, Ragged Old Flag, The Flag Still Flies High, God Bless America, The Armed Service Medley, The Stars And Stripes Forever and the song Duty, Honor, Country

Altissimo! Records also had A Patriotic Salute to the Military Family on the Billboard?s Classical Charts. It is a combination of songs from all of the armed services.

The music the Army band produces is available for anyone to release because it is public property. The president and CEO of Altissimo! Records, Al McCree, who is retired from the Air Force, has a relationship with all of the armed forces.