Manny Cepeda in International Musician

The August issue of the International Musician features a profile of former Navy musician, MUCM Manny Cepeda.

The IM is no fan mag; it's the official journal of the American Federation of Musicians. When you get featured here, you're doing things right.

Manny, the article points out, is busy as a San Diego composer, performer and educator and band leader. This, of course, is nothing new. During his 31 years of service, Manny led the Steel Band and the U.S. Navy Show Band.

Here's a short clip of Manny Cepeda (in the white hat) performing at Harrah's.

We got pix

The collection of photos of the Navy Musicians Association reunion grows. Thanks to Max Murray for the lastest batch.

Links to photos and videos are over on the right. Check 'em out, send me the URL for your collection and I'll include them.

Coming soon: NMA big band videos.

Searching for long-lost Navy musicians

Searching for an old shipmate, friend or relative who played in a Navy band?

Congratulations: you've come to the wrong place.

Just kidding. I love hearing from people who are looking for information about long-lost Navy musicians. Unfortunately, I usually don't know the whereabouts of your long-lost pal Clem, the CRUDESPACRONAIRLANT piccolo player during the War of 1812. It's a big world out there.

But that doesn't mean I can't help. Here are a few Internet sources to get you started

The Navy Musicians Association website

The membership roster lists hundreds of names and email addresses of former and present Navy musicians who belong to the NMA.

The message board allows visitors to post information about their search for Navy bandsman. The page gives instructions on contacting the webmaster.

Facebook

This social networking site grows more valuable each day. Individual MUs have their own pages. Specialty groups abound: Former U.S. Navy Musicians, Military Musicians, and individual band pages (for example,  U.S. Navy Band San Francisco and Sixth Fleet Navy Band Alumni).

Can't find a helpful group? Start your own group.

Others

Other social networking sites and specialty sites may be of help (MySpace and TogetherWeServed.com come to mind). Many sites are of limited value. Online ship rosters, for instance, are notoriously incomplete, generally incluing only those names submitted by former crewmembers themselves.
Still, you never know.
Happy hunting for your bunkmate on Old Ironsides. If you find a valuable source, let me know, and I'll include it here.

Things my bandmaster never knew -- Exhibit A

2009 NMA Reunion Sights and Sounds

Thanks to all who took photos and shot video clips of the NMA reunion last month. They are a valuable reminder of the fraternity, camaraderie and music we MUs share.

Send me links to your online work--videos at YouTube, photos at FlickR, wherever your stuff is hosted--and I'll post the links here at NavyLyres.

For easy access, I'm putting all links in the sidebar to the right. Enjoy!

Coming attractions

I'll be away for a few days at the University of Iowa Summer Writing Festival. You don't think I come up with all this great stuff by myself, do you?

In the interim, to whet your appetite for Great Posts of the Future, I offer you this list of Coming Attractions:

• Internet tips for finding old shipmates from bygone bands.
  
• Internet tips on hiding from old friends who are trying to find you.
  
• How I set the record for the shortest tour at the U.S. Navy Band.
  
• Now it can be told: The Steve Dimond Farewell Invitation Golf Tournament, 1984.
  
• "Pier Pressure": The Navy's first Fast Attack Combo.
  
• The Sins of Lee Hudson. Chapter One, Personality Defects.

Fair winds until next week, shipmates.