Lighten Up!
I did not know Douglas Young very well, but I was a big admirer. Our interactions usually took the form of me sending him a message thanking him for some hilarious post on Facebook, and then him responding in a clever and unexpected way. Sometimes these exchanges would turn into long conversations, but the context was always me thanking him for helping us not take ourselves quite so seriously!
In our competitive marching world, the stakes are high and we are passionate about our work. But the more we care, the more we need perspective. Many times I will be at a band clinic in the Fall and I will stop and remind the staff that “we’re putting on a show!” It’s supposed to be fun.
Douglas had a knack for making poignant commentary with great humor. I felt that his presence online was extremely helpful and important. We need to laugh at ourselves and remember that it’s all a bit ridiculous. It really does all come down to sequins and spandex and hair extensions. It’s show biz!
I think the percussion folks do a better job of keeping themselves in check. They seem to embrace the “drums in a gym” moniker as a way to keep things in perspective. They are dead serious about the art they are trying to create, but they seem to do a better job of remembering that it’s also a tiny bit ridiculous.
Color guard folk are less good at this perspective, and that’s why I always felt that Douglas Young was such a god send. He could poke fun at the pretensions and posturing in a way that reminded us that he loved it just as much as we did. Only someone who truly understood and appreciated the winter guard art form could skewer it with such accuracy time and again.
I was always thrilled to see the latest photograph with his face and glasses plastered on it. I hope we will all pick up on his quest to keep that perspective in place. I tried to encourage him when I could, and I found his commentary endlessly helpful to me as I navigate this musical arts world of ours. I surely will miss him and his important contribution. I will miss the laughs!
Tim Hinton
March 15, 2025
