United States Army Band Founded in 1922 , the United States Army Band – known as " Pershing ' s Own " – is the premier musical organization of the United States Army . Before 2002 , the United States Army Band was the only Washington - based military band to have participated in a theater of foreign combat operations . There are currently eight official performing ensembles in the unit : The United States Army Concert Band , The United States Army Ceremonial Band , The Army Chorus , The Army Blues , The Army Band Downrange , The Army Herald Trumpets , The Army Strings , and The Army Brass Quintet . History . The United States Army Band was established on January 25 , 1922 by General of the Armies John J . Pershing , Army Chief of Staff in emulation of European military bands he heard during World War I . In its early years , the band was featured on RCA , CBS , the Mutual Broadcasting Network , and other networks . The band also completed four national tours between 1928 and 1931 and was noted for its professionalism during a trip to Spain for the Ibero - American Exposition of 1929 . In June 1943 , the United States Army Band was called overseas to perform in North Africa and in Europe during World War II . The band received a campaign streamer for their efforts during the Rhineland Campaign . This period also saw the band perform with numerous well - known artists and composers , many as part of the very successful Freedom Sings concert series that started in 1950 and continued for several years . Notable musicians included Metropolitan Opera bass Jerome Hines , composers Paul Hindemith and Percy Grainger , and the pianist duo Whittmore and Lowe . Similarly , several well - known entertainers and recording artists were band members during this period . Eddie Fisher , Robert Dini , and Steve Lawrence were very popular during the 1950s , as were harpist Lloyd Lindroth , future Metropolitan Opera tenor George Shirley , and announcer Charles Osgood . Throughout the 1960s , 1970s and 1980s , the United States Army Band continued to perform and serve with distinction . In 1963 , the band participated in the state funeral of John F . Kennedy with Army Band Bugler Keith Clark performing " Taps " during final interment at Arlington National Cemetery . Brucker Hall , the band ' s training and performance facility , was constructed in the mid - 1970s . Also during this era , the Army Blues , the Army Brass Quintet , the Army Chorale ( now operating as ' Downrange ' ) , and the Army Brass Band were officially established as regular performing ensembles . An official Coat of Arms and distinctive uniforms were approved to reflect the band ' s increasing visibility at events of national significance , including the visit of Emperor Hirohito to Alaska with President Richard Nixon , the United States Bicentennial in 1976 , the Lake Placid Winter Olympics 1980 , the return of hostages during the Iran Hostage Crisis , the 1982 World ' s Fair in Knoxville , Tennessee , and the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles . The United States Army Band has performed in Canada , Japan , and Australia as well as in several of the nation ' s prominent concert halls , such as Carnegie Hall , Radio City Music Hall , and the Guggenheim Band Shell at Lincoln Center in New York City , the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles , and the Hatch Shell in Boston . In 1984 , the band recorded and participated in the filming of Francis Ford Coppola ' s movie " Gardens of Stone " . Under the leadership of Colonel L . Bryan Shelburne , leader and commander ( 1990 – 2000 ) , the band continued its tradition of excellence with performances at the 1990 Economic Summit in Houston , the Desert Storm Victory Parade in New York City , and Reba McEntire ' s Christmas Special in Nashville . Col . Shelburne also led the band in performances in Sweden , the Netherlands , Turkey , Nova Scotia , Scotland , and a concert of International Goodwill with the Soviet Union ' s Navy Band in Stockholm . In November 1997 , The United States Army Band " Pershing ' s Own " culminated its rich 75 - year history with a grand concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City . Guest artists included Walter Cronkite , Charles Osgood , and Metropolitan Opera stars Roberta Peters and John Cheek . In April 2000 , Colonel Gary F . Lamb returned to the United States Army Band . In December 2002 , a ten - piece pop group from the band , dubbed " Downrange " , accompanied country musician Darryl Worley , comedian Kathy Griffin , actress Karri Turner , pro wrestler Bradshaw , and two cheerleaders from the Jacksonville Jaguars to Uzbekistan , Kuwait , and Afghanistan as part of a pre - Christmas USO tour in support of Operation Enduring Freedom . This was the first time since 1945 that members of the band performed in a theater of foreign operations . Since the commencement of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 , the tour has been repeated annually under the title " Hope and Freedom " , with a larger ensemble and additional stops at military positions in Iraq . Other celebrities that have accompanied recent tours include country singer Mark Wills , comedian Al Franken , and cheerleaders from the Washington Redskins . Colonel Lamb retired in June 2005 and was succeeded by Colonel Thomas Rotondi , Jr . , whose previous assignment was Commander / Conductor of the United States Military Academy Band in West Point , New York . The United States Army Band is headquartered at Fort Myer in Arlington , Virginia , and annually hosts the The United States Army Band Tuba - Euphonium Conference in January and Eastern Trombone Workshop in March .