1776 TO 1976. AMERICA CELEBRATES OUR BICENTENNIAL.

America's Bicentennial was celebrated across the country with fireworks, parades, and a host of events that could only have made our Founding Fathers smile in appreciation.

In Jackson County, Mrs. Gerald V. Harkness won a design contest with her "Cabins to Capsules" logo. Jackson County has direct ties to two astronauts in James McDivitt and Al Worden. Both men were featured prominently in the Michigan Space Museum when it was located on the grounds of Jackson College. "Cabins to Capsules" was a natural theme for the county. 

At the time, Jackson area high schools provided students to participate in an all-county honors choir and all-county honors band. For this special year, the directors were Kenneth Todd [choir] and Kennistan Bauman [band]. The directors assembled a program of patriotic music for the 4th of July program to be held at the Cascades water feature that is located in the Sparks Foundation Park. 

The community supported the special musical program by helping with recording the two groups. The Jackson Rotary Club sponsored the choir and band. Aeroquip (now a part of Eaton) sponsored the production of a record of the groups by Mark Records [now Mark Custom Recording Service, Inc.]. 

The program and album featured a series of patriotic tunes honoring America's history. 

Side A - The Jackson County Bicentennial Honors Band directed by Kennistan Bauman

1. National Emblem by E.E. Bagley (1902)
2. American Variations by Jerry Bilik (1970)
3. March Grandioso by Roland F. Seitz (1909)
4. Suite of Old American Dances by Robert Russell Bennett (1949)
5. Stars and Stripes Forever by John Philip Sousa (1896)
6. America the Beautiful by Samuel Ward (1910)

THE BICENTENNIAL BAND Jim Baschall, Bette Benedette, Julie Biernat, John Brittain, Gerald Cain, Patty Clark, Larry Crouch, Robert Cummings, Craig Durst, Douglas Eicher, Mark Elenio, Ken Finton, Irene Fisher, Kyle Grinnell, Marcia Haven, Patty Heady, Janice Herl, Lorrie Huffman, Jolene Jaquays, Peggy Jekel, Marcia Jenkins, Ken Knight, Todd Krutsch, Larry Kujawa, Karen Lindow, Doug Maitland, Gina Mattone, Dan Mitchell, Barry Myers, Kathleen Mynahan, Mark Nelson, Sheryl Nidelcheff, Joy Paulson, Linda Pilatowicz, Laurie Pultz, Eric Raby, Cindy Ragonesi, Doug Rainey, Jane Ratcliff, Kathy Roelofs, Joe Rumler, Chris Sayles, Barb Schmidt, Brian Spitler, Jan Stump, Jennifer Swihart, Katrina Swihart, Natalie Taylor, Julie Weatherwax, Lee Weatherwax, Kathy Westfall, Debbie Wilcox, Carolyn Ybarra 

Side B - The Jackson County Bicentennnial Honors Choir directed by Kenneth Todd

1. The Eyes of All Waite Upon Thee by Jean Berger (1960)
2. Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair arr. by Stuart Churchill (Traditional)
3. The Music Man by Meredith Willson (1957)
4. And Thou America by Paul Laurence Dunbar (1903)
5. Battle Hymn of the Republic by Julia Ward Howe (1861) arr. by Peter Wilhousky (1959)
6. God Bless America by Irving Berlin (1918) arr. by Roy Ringwald

THE BICENTENNIAL CHOIR

Martha Armstrong, Angie Barron, James Baschal, Steve Brown, Donna Burkholder, Elisa Canvin, 

Scott Davis, Dave Dixon, Mike Dixon, Linda Eicher, David Erber, Julee Erber, Dina Flint, Andy Fugate, Lori Grow, Jenny Heiler, Marta Hendricks, Julie Hill, Doreen Hodge, Jolynn Holton, Andy Howe, Dianne Janes, Jared Knaup, Bob Luson, Cheley Martin, Bev McClain, Kathy McGee, Lorri McGuire, Lynn Miller, Vicki Miller, Kathy Mills, Nancy Minder, Theresa Minder, Daniel Mitchell, Jeff Mossolle, Mary Nelson, Regina Pace, Sheri Pahl, Lora Painter, Jeff Rahn, Cindy Redman, Lynndy Robercs, Roger Roelofs, Amy Sayles, Karen Sharrer, Chris Simmons, Allan Smith, Kathy Smith, Chip Smith, Deborah Smith, Shelly Southwell, Dawn Spink, Nate Spitlier, Dawn Strobel, Jeff Swanson, John Swartzel, Sally Tallman, Ken Todd, Susan Tyshko, Carol VanValin, Theresa Vargo, Linda Vaughn, Kathy Whitaker, Steve Whitaker

A complete presentation of the album is available via YouTube. 

July 4, 1976 was an appropriately hot summer day. The sun set behind the Cascades. The lights beneath Jackson's famous water feature began to glow as a light breeze blew the heat of the day away. And the musical talents of Jackson's finest musicians honored our nation's Bicentennial.