East Park Band Shell

Mason City Iowa

"And you'll feel something akin to the electric thrill
I once enjoyed when Gilmore, Pat Conway,
The Great Creatore, W.C. Handy and John Philip Sousa
all came to town on the very same historic day!" -Harold Hill, Meredith Wilson's "The Music Man"

East Park Band Shell, December 21, 2009. Mason City Iowa. Performing venue of the Mason City Municipal Band for the last 90 years!

In the summer of 1920, the city of Mason City Iowa formed the Mason City Municipal Band. To celebrate the occasion, they spared no expenses and hired some of the great legends in the music world to participate in the 10-week season.

• Flute/Piccolo: Meredith Wilson, Principal Flute with the New York Philharmonic. Formerly Sousa's Piccolo player. Grew up in Mason City Iowa, on which is "River City" is based in the Music Man.
• Solo Cornet: Frank Simon, Cornet Soloist with Sousa's Band. Later, director of the famous Armco Band.
• Conductor: James M. Fulton, of Boston MA, composer of many marches.