List of defunct Drum Corps International member corps


is the largest governing body for drum and bugle corps in the world. Since its first competitive season in 1972, hundreds of corps have held membership, many of which have become inactive. This page is a list of defunct Drum Corps International member corps, particularly those that have been finalists multiple times.

27th Lancers Drum and Bugle Corps

The 27th Lancers Drum and Bugle Corps was an Open Class corps based in Revere, Massachusetts. The Lancers were one of the thirteen founding member corps of Drum Corps International. The group was founded in the fall of 1967 after the I.C. Reveries, who sponsored two corps, folded. The larger corps of the I.C. Reveries, led by George Bonfiglio, rebranded itself as the 27th Lancers, while the feeder corps branched off and eventually became a facet of the North Star Drum and Bugle Corps.
The corps played in Catholic Youth Organization and Veterans of Foreign Wars drum corps competitions, but they eventually became dissatisfied with the rigid rules and low payouts. In 1971, the 27th Lancers, along with the Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights, Blue Rock, Garfield Cadets, and Boston Crusaders, formed the United Organization of Junior Corps and marketed themselves as a package deal. This paralleled another group in the country known as the Midwest Alliance. These two groups eventually joined together and formed Drum Corps International.
The 27th Lancers made a total of twelve finals appearances during their fifteen years as members of DCI. In 1980, they earned their highest position with a silver medal. That year, they were also chosen to represent North American drum corps at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, playing for the opening and closing ceremonies. In 1985, they placed 13th, just outside of qualifying for finals. Citing financial difficulties, the corps folded after the 1986 season. In 1994, an alumni corps was assembled to perform one last time at finals, serving as an exhibition corps.

Anaheim Kingsmen Drum and Bugle Corps

Argonne Rebels Drum and Bugle Corps

The Argonne Rebels Drum and Bugle Corps was an Open Class corps. Based in Great Bend, Kansas, the Rebels were one of the thirteen founding member corps of Drum Corps International.
The group was founded in 1947 by local music teacher John Taff as the St. Rose Drum and Bugle Corps. Sponsored by the local Catholic church, they operated as a parade band. Due to the financial burden imposed onto the church, they later became sponsored by Argonne Post #180 of the American Legion. After taking on their current moniker, the corps began to compete in American Legion drum corps competitions starting in 1955. They earned three national championships in the circuit from 1971 to 1973.
In October 1971, the corps was invited to become charter members of DCI. They appeared at the inaugural championships placing 5th. After one more finals placement the next year, the corps dropped to 33rd place in 1974 after the departure of many of its staff. After a few more years of waning competitive success, the corps went inactive after the 1979 season. The Argonne Rebels returned as a Class A corps in 1983, but went permanently defunct after the 1984 season.

Bridgemen Drum and Bugle Corps

The Bridgemen Drum and Bugle Corps was an Open Class corps. Based in Bayonne, New Jersey, the Bridgemen were among the thirty-nine corps present at the first Drum Corps International championships. Named after the Bayonne Bridge, the drum corps was famous for their bright yellow coats and their Broadway-inspired choreography.
The Bridgemen were founded in 1964 by local Catholic pastor Joseph Donovan who saw a drum corps as a good youth activity for the local parish. They had their first public performances as a parade band in 1965 and eventually started to compete in local drum corps competitions the next year. In 1967, the Bayonne Kidets, a feeder corps made up of elementary school students, debuted. In 1972, the Bridgemen joined the newly formed Drum Corps International, placing 11th in the inaugural championship.
In 1977, the Bridgemen were disqualified after prelims due to overaged members. This led to the organization suing and successfully getting a court injunction to allow them to compete in finals where they placed 4th. However, binding arbitration in the fall upheld their disqualification while allowing them to retain their prize money. Nonetheless, they were eventually allowed to compete the next season in 1978, earning 5th place.
The Bridgemen reached their zenith in the early eighties, earning the bronze medal in 1980 and winning high percussion three times in a row under arranger Dennis DeLucia. However, 1983 would be the last year that the Bridgemen made finals. Owing in part to the change in judging criteria and the large number of members aging out, the Bridgemen only reached 14th place in 1984. In 1986, the corps went inactive for a year due to financial hardships. In 1987, the corps returned to the field but failed to qualify for semifinals. This was the last year that the Bridgemen competed, and in 1988, the Bridgemen folded.

The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps

Freelancers Drum and Bugle Corps

The Freelancers Drum and Bugle Corps was a Division I corps based in Sacramento, California. The group began in 1930 as a parade corps sponsored by the George W. Manhart Post #391 of the American Legion. By 1964, membership had dwindled, and the color guard split off to create an all-girl drum corps known as the Manhart Capitalaires and started competing. The group went co-ed after the 1970 season and changed their name to the Capital Freelancers in 1973 after splitting away from the post.
The group first competed in Drum Corps International in 1975, placing 18th. The next year, they made finals for the first time, placing 11th. Throughout its existence, the corps made a total of ten finals appearances between 1976 and 1992. The corps last competed in 1994, although an alumni corps still appears in the SoundSport division.

Glassmen Drum and Bugle Corps

The Glassmen Drum and Bugle Corps was a World Class corps. Based in Toledo, Ohio, the corps was a sixteen-time finalist. The group was founded in 1961 by American Legion Post #320 as the Maumee Suns. It served as the junior corps to the senior Maumee Demons. Originally a parade corps for the first few years of existence, the Maumee Suns first competed in 1964 in the local American Legion circuit. In 1967, the name was changed to the Glass City Optimists in reference to the nickname of Toledo. The last name changed occurred in 1971 for the corps to become the Glassmen.
The corps started competing in Drum Corps International competitions in 1975. Unfortunately, after their debut, the corps went inactive to restructure. Returning to competition in 1980, the corps steadily climbed the ranks until they were awarded full membership in 1983. In 1986, Dan Acheson, future chief executive officer of Drum Corps International, was named as corps director. Their first appearance in finals was 1993, ten years after earning membership, where they placed 11th.
The corps remained a consistent finalist for the remainder of its existence, peaking at 5th three times between 1998 and 2001. The Glassmen went inactive before the 2013 season, and the board of directors filed for bankruptcy. In early 2014, the organization was dissolved by a federal court.

Guardsmen Drum and Bugle Corps

The Guardsmen Drum and Bugle Corps was a Division I corps. Located in Schaumburg, Illinois, the Guardsmen were known for their Britain-inspired themes, using popular folk songs from the country in their shows. The corps was also notable for appearing in advertisements, starring in commercials for Kentucky Fried Chicken and RC Cola during the mid-seventies.
The corps was founded in 1961 as an all-girl drill team; the group became a co-ed drum corps three years later. Throughout the rest of the decade, the group attended local competitions while growing in magnitude. In 1972, the Guardsmen competed in the inaugural Drum Corps International season where they placed 25th. Four years later, in 1976, the corps placed 12th earning their first spot into finals. The corps peaked at 7th place in 1979 before their last appearance as a finalist in 1980. The Guardsmen continued until 1990 when financial difficulties forced the corps into inactivity. A cadet corps briefly resurfaced from 1992 to 1994 until it too ultimately folded.

Kilties Drum and Bugle Corps

The Kilties Drum and Bugle Corps was an Open Class corps based in Racine, Wisconsin. Through their presence, alongside the Racine Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps and the nearby Horlick Field, Racine was declared by Congress to be the "Drum and Bugle Capital of the World" in 1967.
The corps was founded in 1936 by members of the local YMCA as the Kiwanis Kilties. The name came from their unique uniforms, Royal Stewart tartan kilts, that were donated by the city Kiwanis Club. After serving as a parade band for local events, they first competed in August 1937 at the Chicagoland Music Festival. However, the corps continued to operate primarily as an exhibition unit, playing in halftime shows for the Green Bay Packers and during games of the Racine Belles. It was not until 1949 that the corps began focusing on competitive pursuits, earning top positions in several contests, including that of the American Legion, where they competed against the Racine Scouts for the first time. They also debuted their familiar, yellow MacLeod tartans that same year.
In 1952, the Kilties traveled to the championships of the Veterans of Foreign Wars circuit, their first appearance on the national stage, where they placed 4th. This was followed by a 6th-place finish in the championships of the American Legion circuit. From this newfound success in competition, the organization formed a feeder corps known as the Kiltie Kadets in the fall of 1958. During the sixties, the Kilties continued with their upward trajectory, winning the national championships of the VFW three times.
In 1972, they became one of the finalists in the inaugural year of Drum Corps International. They would continue as finalists until 1975 and then again from 1977 to 1978. The corps went inactive in 1980, blaming a poor competitive season the year prior and a lack of local participation and funding. The corps subsequently came back for two more years, last competing in 1982.
In 1992, an alumni corps was formed to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Drum Corps International. From this group, came a competitive senior drum corps bearing the Kilties banner. The senior Kilties began competing in Drum Corps Associates competitions starting in 1995 and continued until 2016. Although the senior drum corps has been inactive since then, the organization still sponsors a concert band and several indoor marching arts programs.