A remarkable amount of historical information is covered in this comprehensive history of the American band. Timelines and photos track developments in American band music from colonial drum and fife corps to the Big Band era; and useful tables compare band music milestones with those of other arts in western civilization, with events in U.S. history, and with other American musical breakthroughs. The final section of the book discusses new directions in American music and predicts a bright future for the modern wind band.