Echoes rehearsal Dec. 20, 2009 at John Curtis from 1:00-4:00 p.m.

     In October of 2008 at our annual  banquet the Greater New Orleans Drum  Corps Association inducted three members into it's Hall of Fame. The recipients of this great honor were;

         Charlie  "CJ"  Gai

         Marty Hurley

         Emile "Moe" Latour

  Charlie Gai  was a soprano player in the VFW Cadets (the origional Southernaires) until he aged out around 1960. The VFW post in Metairie wanted a Drum & Bugle Corps there, because Chalmette had the Stardusters and New Orleans had the Southernaires so Charlie started the Crescent City Rebels in Metairie. They played the metro New Orleans area, parades and such until  late 1964. They merged with the Southernaires to form the Masqueraders. He directed the Masqueraders for the year 1965 until leaving, to restart the old Rebels as the Southern Rebels in 1966. He stayed until they disbanded. So it is my honor to welcome into the GNODCA Hall of Fame, Charlie Gai.

Marty Hurley  joined a drum corps in New Jersey and played drums for Blessed Sacrament until Dick Pinkin (who was teaching the Stardusters) called Marty and asked him to take over teaching drums for the Stardusters. Dick was quitting the Dusters and wanted Marty to take his place. Marty was single at the time so he moved to New Orleans and started teaching drums. He was also the drum instructor for the Black Knights and Phantom Regiment. In 1972 he helped to start the Bleu Raeders along with Moe Latour. He probably helped some other corps I don't know about. He was installed into the World Drum Corps Association. So it's my honor to welcome Marty Hurley into the GNODCA's Hall of Fame

Emile "Moe" Latour  joined ths New Orleans cadets in 1949 at the age of 11 playing a one valve soprano and marching until he aged out at 21. After his age out year Moe went to teach M&M to many of the corps in the New Orleans area. He was the marching instructor for the Masqueraders the Rebels and he helped start the Bleu Raeders. When DCI started he helped other corps, in 1974 the Blue Stars, in 1983 & 1984 the Phantom Regiment, in 1985 thru 1987 the Star of Indiana. In 1988 Moe joined and still tours with the Cadets (formally the Garfield Cadets) doing the small things, ya no, Details. Moe has been installed in the Cadets Hall of Fame and the DCI Hall of Fame. So it's my honor to welcome Moe Latour into the GNODCA Hall of Fame.

     These three people are instrumental in the development and promoting of Drum Corps  in the State of Louisiana.