The Story Behind the Original Sousaphone

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Dave Detwiler
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The Story Behind the Original Sousaphone

Post by Dave Detwiler »

Hi all - while I wrote about this in the ITEA Journal back in 2015-2016, I finally pulled together a brief but engaging blog post that tells the story behind the original Sousaphone. Enjoy!

Here's the link: https://tubapastor.blogspot.com/2023/08 ... first.html

Original Sousaphone side-by-side 1.JPG
Original Sousaphone side-by-side 1.JPG (139.18 KiB) Viewed 367 times
These users thanked the author Dave Detwiler for the post (total 9):
matt g (Sat Aug 12, 2023 6:39 am) • bowerybum (Sat Aug 12, 2023 7:55 am) • acemorgan (Sat Aug 12, 2023 8:25 am) • windshieldbug (Sat Aug 12, 2023 8:58 am) • Mark E. Chachich (Sun Aug 13, 2023 10:10 am) and 4 more users


Played an F. E. Olds 4-valve BBb in high school (late '70s)
Led the USC Trojan Marching Band tuba section (early '80s)
Now playing an F. Schmidt (=VMI) 3301 and goofing around
on a 1925 Pan American Sousaphone and an 1899 Conn tuba!
edfirth
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Re: The Story Behind the Original Sousaphone

Post by edfirth »

Hi Dave, Thanks for another great post. Do you have a relative named George who grew up in Levittown, Pa. and would be about 70 years old now? kind of a shot in the dark but one never knows do one? Best, Ed
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Dave Detwiler
Posts: 186
Joined: Sat Aug 15, 2020 4:12 pm
Location: Harleysville, PA
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Been thanked: 190 times
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Re: The Story Behind the Original Sousaphone

Post by Dave Detwiler »

edfirth wrote: Mon Aug 14, 2023 3:03 pm Hi Dave, Thanks for another great post. Do you have a relative named George who grew up in Levittown, Pa. and would be about 70 years old now? kind of a shot in the dark but one never knows do one? Best, Ed
Not that I know of! Although we are probably somehow related to many of the Detwilers in this area, if we share the same ancestor, Melchior Datwyler, who was Swiss Amish, and who immigrated to Berks County, PA in 1736. That's where my Detwilers come from!
Played an F. E. Olds 4-valve BBb in high school (late '70s)
Led the USC Trojan Marching Band tuba section (early '80s)
Now playing an F. Schmidt (=VMI) 3301 and goofing around
on a 1925 Pan American Sousaphone and an 1899 Conn tuba!
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