April 2026
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
	1	2	3	4
5	6	7	8	9	10	11
12	13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30

Posts Tagged ‘Getzen bugle’

Bugle Calls at 17th Annual Wreath Dedication Ceremony at Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Evergreen-Washelli, in Seattle

Posted by glennled on March 26, 2026

On Saturday, 13 December 2025, some 150 people gathered in north Seattle at Evergreen-Washelli’s Veterans Memorial Cemetery to honor the 5,000 veterans, including six Medal of Honor recipients, who rest in peace there. The Veterans Memorial Wreath Foundation (www.VMWF.org) sponsors the annual ceremony, its 17th. Jim Kellett and I sounded “Echo Taps” together for the second time, and that set me wondering about how many times I’ve performed at this event. So, I looked it up here on my blog (see Archives column to the left). My first was on 16 December 2011—a little personal history trivia. And I’ve posted articles here about almost all of them. They’re easy to find by using the search box in the upper right corner of this page.

Besides my sounding “Echo Taps” with Jim, what was unique about this year’s event?

Chaplain Leon Buchanan’s brief invocation and benediction were elegant expressions of praise, humility and gratitude.
Vocalist Phil Onishi sang the national anthem with conviction and took many beautiful photos for WMWF, including all those used here in this post.
Lorraine Zimmerman’s leadership in conducting the program was masterful.
The Washington State Color Guard was precise and sharp.
The Honor Guard of VFW Post 1040 in Lynnwood fired their rifles inspiringly.
Boy Scouts from Troop 419 in Marysville distributed the printed programs.
Cub Scout Pack 331 furnished the scout, Ethan Crane, who led us in the Pledge of Allegiance.
The 8 men who represented the branches of the military did a superb job of dedicating their respective wreaths with dignity by placing the American flag and rendering a hand salute.
And, afterwards, the audience became the volunteers who reverently placed approximately 2,000 wreaths on gravestones in the cemetery.

The ceremony was Called to Order when I sounded “Assembly.’ I used my Getzen bugle, and Jim Kellett used his trumpet when we sounded “Echo Taps.”

Photos by Phil Onishi. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.

Posted in Ceremonies & Celebrations | Tagged: Assembly, echo taps, Evergreen-Washelli, Getzen bugle, trumpet, Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Veterans Memorial Wreaths Foundation, VFW Post 1040 Honor Guard, Washington State Color Guard | Leave a Comment »

Veterans Day 2024 Marked 14 Years of Bugle Calls at Veterans Park, Lynnwood

Posted by glennled on March 23, 2026

Fifteen years ago in 2011, I sounded “Taps” for my first time on Veterans Day, 11 November, at the annual 11:00 a.m. ceremony, hosted by VFW Post 1040, at Veterans Park in downtown Lynnwood. And several years ago, we started sounding “Echo Taps” instead. Originally, I used some of my own private trumpet students to sound the “Echo” part. Then I recruited a few trumpeters from Inglemoor High School—I used to work for the band director there, Charlie Fix, when we were both at Skyview Middle School in Bothell. Recently, I’ve used trumpeters from Lynnwood High School, and this year, that’s where I found Liam O’Dell, a referral by his band director, Phil Onishi.

The weather was perfect, the crowd was large, and as usual, I sounded the bugle call, “Assembly,” to start the ceremony. Liam and I sounded “Echo Taps” at the close. He used his trumpet, and I used my Getzen bugle. That afternoon, I drove to Mountlake Terrace to perform my patriotic, one-hour trumpet show, “I Stand for the Flag,” at Mountlake Terrace Plaza, a retirement community.

Posted in Ceremonies & Celebrations | Tagged: Assembly, band director, echo taps, Getzen bugle, trumpet, Veterans Day, VFW Post 1040 | 2 Comments »

Three Bugle Calls on Memorial Day at Veterans Park, Lynnwood

Posted by glennled on July 9, 2025

*Large crowd stands for the Invocation at Veterans Park, Lynnwood*

To me, Memorial Day is always special, apart from its main purpose–to remember those veterans who gave their lives in service to our country. I’m one of the lucky ones who get to perform at this special memorial ceremony! And not only that, I get to sound bugle calls. And more than that, one of them is “Echo Taps”. And on top of that, the other two are “Assembly” at 11 a.m. to call the meeting to order and “To the Color” as the flag is raised at noon from half-staff to full staff. And such it was this Memorial Day, celebrated on Monday, 26 May 2025.

Joining me to sound the “Echo” part was Jasper Stutes, a senior trumpeter at Lynnwood High School. Among the other participants were the VFW Post 1040 Honor Guard, the Nile Shrine Legion of Honor, and Boy Scout Troop 49. I’m sure those participants felt as lucky, proud, and honored as I did.

I used by Getzen bugle–love that horn!

Photos by Julia Wiese, Lynnwood Today. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.

Posted in Ceremonies & Celebrations | Tagged: Assembly, bugle calls, echo taps, Getzen bugle, To the Color | 4 Comments »

Three Bugle Calls at Veterans Park in Lynnwood for Memorial Day Ceremony, Plus Neighborhood “Taps” in Edmonds, Plus Trumpet Show, “I Stand for the Flag,” in Redmond

Posted by glennled on June 3, 2023

*Memorial Day Ceremony 2023, Veterans Park, Lynnwood, WA*

On Memorial Day (29 May), I performed at three different venues—Veterans Park in Lynnwood, my Perrinville neighborhood in Edmonds, and Fairwinds, Redmond retirement community. In all, I sounded five different bugle calls and 24 patriotic marches and songs. It was a full day!

Memorial Day Ceremony, Veterans Park, Lynnwood

About 150 veterans and civilians assembled here, the largest crowd for this ceremony since we resumed it after the Covid years. The event was hosted by the City of Lynnwood and VFW Post 1040. Participants included:

VFW Post 1040 Honor Guard
Nile Shriners’ Legion of Honor from Mountlake Terrace
a piper and drummer from the Northwest Junior Pipe Band
American Legion Post 37 of Edmonds
Boy Scout Troop 49 of Lynnwood
Gold Star Mothers, Washington State Chapter
Lynnwood Firefighters

So, I sounded “Assembly” to start the event at 11 a.m., using my Getzen bugle. The guest speaker was Michelle Black, a Gold Star Mother (for more information on Gold Star Mothers, please see my blog post of 19 June 2014, using the Archives in left column). Incidentally, the Gold Star Mothers Monument in Veterans Park was dedicated on 2 November 2022, when I performed “Echo Taps” with Laurence Stusser, my trumpet student, who sounded the “echo” part on his 1947 Super Olds (Los Angeles) trumpet.

At the close of the ceremony, I sounded “Echo Taps” with the “echo” part sounded by Nolan Stewart, using his Bach trumpet. He will attend Oregon State University this fall and will be a member of the marching band. Finally, at noon, VFW Post 1040 Commander, John Beam, raised the flag from half to full mast, as I sounded “To the Color.”

“Taps” for my Neighbors

I’m a member of “Taps for Veterans,” a nationwide organization of buglers who perform at local ceremonies and funerals for veterans (please see http://www.tapsforveterans.org). The National Moment of Remembrance was inaugurated by Congress in 2000. It is an annual event that asks Americans, wherever they are at 3:00 p.m. local time on Memorial Day, to pause for one minute to remember those who have died in military service to the United States. Taps Across America (a sister organization at http://www.tapsacrossamerica.org) promotes this event by the sounding of “Taps” in local neighborhoods at 3 p.m. on Memorial Day.

In my case, however, I had to be in Redmond at that time, so I rushed from sounding “To the Color” at the above event in Lynnwood to my home in Edmonds, where I stood on our front porch and sounded “Taps” at about 12:20 p.m. A neighbor took my photo. Then, I hopped in my car at 12:30 and rushed to Redmond, where I was to perform one of my six trumpet shows at a retirement community at 2:00.

“I Stand for the Flag” at Fairwinds, Redmond Retirement Community

This was my second appearance at Fairwinds, Redmond. This one-hour show consists of two dozen patriotic marches, songs, and bugle calls. The audience sang along as I played my five horns: Getzen Trumpet, 1954 Super Olds Cornet (Los Angeles), Austin Custom Brass (ACB) Flugelhorn, Jupiter Pocket Trumpet, and Getzen Field Trumpet (Bugle). The two bugle calls in this show are “Sunset” (my favorite British call) and “Tattoo” (my favorite American call). I told a few jokes, too. It’s always fun!

Please click on any photo (above) to enlarge it. Four are by Mario Lotmore of Lynnwood Times, three by Jasmine Contreas-Lewis of Lynnwood Today, one by J.W., and five by me.

Posted in Ceremonies & Celebrations, Shows at Retirement Homes | Tagged: Bach, bugle calls, echo taps, Fairwinds Redmond, Getzen bugle, marching band, ret, student, Taps, trumpet | 4 Comments »

Six Bugle Calls at Memorial Day, D-Day, Flag Day, and Independence Day Ceremonies at Shoreline Veterans Recognition Plaza

Posted by glennled on July 29, 2020

***Veterans Recognition Plaza, Shoreline, WA***

On Flag Day, Dwight N. Stevens, WWII veteran, was honored with a wreath as his son, Larry Stevens, holds his hand over his heart. “Eternal Father, Strong to Save” was played, the Honor Guard (background) fired three volleys, and “Taps” was sounded. Photo by Denise Frisino.

During a recent six-week span, Shoreline City Hall was the scene of four major military ceremonies held outdoors at the adjacent Veterans Recognition Plaza which was dedicated on 21 May 2016. The ceremonies were organized and led by a Shoreline resident, Major General Ray Coffey, United States Volunteer Joint Service Command (USVJSC)

25 May – Memorial Day
6 June – D-Day
14 June – Flag Day and 246th birthday of U.S. Army
4 July – Independence Day and 244th birthday of USA

Participating in these ceremonies reminded me that, of course, the Army was formed before the United States became an independent nation. We had to fight a war to win independence. On 14 June 1775, the Continental Congress authorized the enlistment of riflemen to serve the United Colonies for one year. On the next day, George Washington was chosen as Commander-in-Chief and assigned the rank of General.

Major participants in the various ceremonies included members of the USVJSC, U.S. Army Reserve Command, U.S. Army Recruiting Command, VFW Post 3348 (Shoreline), VFW Post 1040 (Lynnwood), American Legion Post 0227 (Shoreline), NW Junior Pipe Band, Boy Scout Troop 312 (Edmonds), and veterans of all five military branches.

When called upon, the Honor Guard of VFW Post 1040 fired the three-volley salutes at these ceremonies. Likewise, when called upon, I sounded up to six bugle calls: Assembly, To the Color, Adjutant’s Call, Flourish for Review (“Ruffles”), Taps, and Echo Taps. On 4 July, a Boy Scout who has earned the Bulger Merit Badge sounded both Echo Taps with me and To the Color (solo). I used my Getzen bugle, and he used his trumpet. He is now an 8-grader at Madrona School in Edmonds and sounds Taps with the VFW Post 1040 Honor Guard at funeral services. Symphony Aimes sang “America the Beautiful” and “God Bless America” at the Independence Day ceremony.

Please click to enlarge a photo.