Imperial Knights, Sudbury

File:Imperial Crest highlight.jpg The Imperial Knights were a senior drum corps based in Sudbury, Ontario.

circa1972
## History

The Sudbury Imperial Knights started when a few drum corps enthusiasts,under the leadership of Gerry Dionne and John Scott, got together in 1963 in the northern Ontario city of Sudbury. For lack of space and funds, they bought used equipment and practiced in the men's washroom area of the local arena. At that time they called themselves The Justabouts, as they were just about a drum corps. Corps members raised funds and recruited across the Sudbury area, a city of 100,000. In 1966 they renamed themselves the Imperial Knights.

Within six years they grew to 75 marchers, gaining many new members from former Blue Saints and a staff of instructors, L. Bangs percusion, G. Dionne Brass and J. Scott M&M.

The Knights began performing by marching in local and provincial parades, but always their goal was field competition. In 1970 they had their first competition ready marching and maneuvering corps. The corps’ field career lasted 7 seasons from 1970 though to 1976.

In 1970, the Corps first competitive year, they won the Ontario Drum Corps Association Provincial Sr. B Championships both for M&M and street parade.

This feat they repeated in 1971 and added the Canadian Drum Corps Association National Sr B Championships to their list of accomplishments.

In 1972 the Imperial Knights joined the Red Carpet Senior Drum Corps Association and placed 5th in the RCA championships that year. At the Canadian Nation Individuals that winter members won first place in snare solo, solo Tim-tom, drum quartet, drum duet, and brass sextet.

1973 saw the corps competeing in the RCA circut and sponsored their first drum corps competition, "Northern Fanfare," in Sudbury. It was the northern-most location for any drum corps contest at that time. That year they placed 11th at the RCA finals.

1974 and 75 the Corps continued to be active within the RCA. They placed 8th and 10th at the finals those years. The Knights had grown to over a hundred members, had their own buses and practice hall, and were regular participants in contests in Ontario, New York, and Pennsylvania. At the Connecticut Hurricanes' winter Individuals in Bridgeport, Michel Regimbal and Greg Saville won first place in snare duet.

Once they had joined the Red Carpet Association the corps competed nearly every summer weekend and this began to take its toll on the members. The 3 rehersals per week and extreme distances traveled to contests (closest contest was a 6 hour drive away and most were at least 8 hours) necessitated leaving Sudbury on the Friday night travelling all night to the contest city. Then it was practice, contest, and the party. Following which, it was back on the buses and travel to a secondary performance on Sunday, to help defray costs, and then return home. This became the usual. Many times they left after work on Friday and got off the bus Monday morning in time to return to work.

After the 1975 season a change in the corps' leadership took place with the resignation of John Scott. 1976 was the last competitive season for the Knights with a 10th place at the RCA finals.

By the late 1970s, after 15 years of active competition and camaraderie, the Sudbury Imperial Knights disbanded. There was an attempt to revive the corps in the 80's but this was unsucessful.

File:1967a.jpg
File:CAUFOD49.jpg
Photos of the corps may be seen at[1]
Atricle re Justabouts [2]

### Competitive History

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***1970***

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CITY DATE CORPS & SCORES OTHER INFO

*PORT HOPE, Ont* July 1

* Canadian Commanders
* **Imperial Knights**
* Others?

*LINDSAY, Ont* August 15 **Rhapsody in Brass**

1. Guelph Royalaires
2. Kingston Grenadiers
3. Shoremen, Pulaski NY
4. **Imperial Knights**

Exhibition:Krescendos

*KITCHENER, Ont* August 29 Ontario Drum Corps Association **Provincial Championships**

1. **Imperial Knights** M&M & Street Parade Winners

*TORONTO, Ont* September 12 Canadian Drum Corps Association **Canadian Championships**

1. Kingston Grenadiers 58.70
2. **Imperial Knights** 52.25

```
***1971***

```

*SARNIA, Ont* August 21 Ontario Drum Corps Association **Provincial Championships**

1. **Imperial Knights** Prov Sr B Champions

*OTTAWA, Ont* September 11 Canadian Drum Corps Association **Canadian Championships**

1. **Imperial Knights** National Sr B Champions
2. Kingston Grenadiers

*LINDSAY, Ont* **Rhapsody in Brass**

1. ?
2. **Imperial Knights**
3. ?
4. ?

*KINGSTON, Ont* September 18 **10th Annual Parade of Drums**

1. Kingston Grenadiers 70.0
2. **Imperial Knights** 67.35 Best GE, Colour Guard, and M&M
3. Kawartha Kavaliers ?

Junior Contest

1. Carleton Place Marching Saints 74.1
2. Smiths Falls Lamplighters 67.3
3. Krescendos 61.6

```
***1972***

```

**REPERTOIRE**

* Jesus Christ Super Star
* Enter the Young
* Drum solo
* Happy Heart
* Concert - Tommy
* Pink Panther drum solo
* Colour Presentation - Cherish/There's a Place for Us
* Phoenix
* Closing Fan Fare

Other contests

*GUELPH, Ont*  August 14

Lindsay?
Others?

**ERIE, PA August 21 RCA Championships**

1. Pittsburgh Rockets 77.75
2. Guelph Royalaires 74.80
3. Emmaus Sentinels 67.65
4. Erie Thunderbirds 67.55
5. **Imperial Knights** 67.45
6. Kingston Grenadiers 67.30
7. Matadors 63.85
8. Suburban Knights 62.70
9. Kawartha Kavaliers 62.40
10. Hanover Lancers 58.20
11. Dunkirk Patriots 51.75
12. Freestatesmen 49.50
13. Esquires 39.20
14. Johnsonburg Diplomats 33.50

```
***1973***

```

**REPERTOIRE**

* Hava Nagila
* Maltese Serenade
* drum solo
* Six Man Band
* Tommy (Concert)
* Mamie
* Conquistador (Colour Presentation)
* Two of Us

 *DUNKIRK, NY* July 7 **Holiday of Brass and Percussion**

1. Erie Thunderbirds 66.00
2. Pittsburgh Rockets 58.65
3. Guelph Royalaires 56.05
4. **Imperial Knights** 47.15
5. Kawartha Kavaliers 38.35

Exhibition: Dunkirk Patriots, Suburban Knights

 *KINGSTON, Ont* July 14  **12th Annual Parade of Drums**

1. Guelph Royalaires 65.85
2. Emmaus Sentinels 63.55
3. **Imperial Knights** 57.95
4. Kingston Grenadiers 57.25
5. Hanover Lancers 55.15
6. Suburban Knights 52.50

 *LINDSAY, Ont* July 21 **Rhapsody in Brass**

1. Dunkirk Patriots 55.45
2. Kawartha Kavaliers 54.35
3. Kingston Grenadiers 53.55
4. **Imperial Knights** 51.15
5. Cumberland Freestatesmen 43.40

 *SUDBURY, Ont* July 28 **Nothern Fanfare**

1. Erie Thunderbirds 62.70
2. Brass Inc. 56.25
3. Suburban Knights 52.70
4. **Imperial Knights** 51.95
5. Kawartha Kavaliers 51.65

Exhibition: Bandettes,Blue Saints

? **Sound of the 20th Century** August 18

* Erie Thunderbirds
* Kingston Grenadiers
* **Imperial Knights**
* Suburban Knights
* Kawartha Kavaliers

**ERIE PA August 25 RCA Championships**

1. Erie Thunderbirds 76.35
2. Guelph Royalaires 76.25
3. Pittsburgh Rockets 72.45
4. Syracuse Brigadiers 69.85
5. Kingston Grenadiers 63.80
6. Emmaus Sentinels 63.25
7. Kawartha Kavaliers 62.30
8. Hanover Lancers 60.25
9. Suburban Knights 59.55
10. Dunkirk Patriots 57.50
11. **Imperial Knights** 52.10
12. Freestatesmen 48.45
13. Verona Cavaliers 45.50

I think this was the year the uniforms were left behind in Sudbury

```
***1974***

```

*SUDBURY, Ont* July 27 **Northern Fanfare**

1. Erie Thunderbirds 71.20
2. Brass, Inc. 68.15
3. Suburban Knights 58.90
4. **Imperial Knights** 57.30
5. Spirit of '76 54.75

Exhibition:Bandettes, Blue Saints

*SAULT STE MARIE, Ont* July 28 **Steeltown Brass**

1. Brass, Inc. 72.35
2. Suburban Knights 59.15
3. **Imperial Knights** 58.35
4. Spirit of '76 51.20

Exhibition:Bandettes

**ERIE PA August 24 RCA Championships**

* Guelph Royalaires(Tie) 85.65
* Erie Thunderbirds (Tie) 85.65
* Hanover Lancers 79.35
* Emmaus Sentinels 79.20
* Minnesota Brass, Inc. 77.65
* Kingston Grenadiers 72.50
* Dunkirk Patriots 72.05
* **Imperial Knights** 67.45
* Suburban Knights 64.50
* Verona Cavaliers 56.90
* Cumberland Freeststesmen 55.35
* Garden Statesmen 51.95
* Vigilantes 45.90

```
***1975***			`

```

**DUKIRK, NY** June 28 **Holiday of Brass and Percussion**

1. Rochester Phoenix 75.63
2. Dunkirk Patriots 60.98
3. **Imperial Knights** 54.76
4. Johnsonburg Diplomats 53.51
5. Suburban Knights 44.6
6. Gypsy Brass 44.43

**SUDBURY,Ont** July 26 **Northern Fanfare**

1. Guelph Royalaires 73.6
2. **Imperial Knights** 56.43
3. Kawartha Kavaliers scored for their own benifit only

* Garden Statesmen Failed to show up

**Williamsville, NY** August 2 **Horns-A-Plenty**

1. Erie Thunderbirds 76.75
2. Hamburg Kingsmen 67.45
3. Dunkirk Patriots 64.70
4. Kingston Grenadiers 62.8
5. **Imperial Knights** 55.0

* Guelph Royalaires Exhibition

**GOWANDA, NY** August 3

1. Erie Thunderbirds 75.65
2. Dunkirk Patriots 68.5
3. **Imperial Knights** 55.7
4. Gypsy Brass 54.9

**BELLEVILLE, Ont** August 9

1. Rochester Phoenix 78.18
2. Kingston Grenadiers 68.15
3. **Imperial Knights** 63.08
4. Emmaus Sentinels 61.46
5. Interstatesmen 55.96

**KINGSTON,Ont** August 10  **14th Annual Parade of Drums**

1. Rochester Phoenix 81.81
2. Guelph Royalaires 77.2
3. Kingston Grenadiers 68.15
4. **Imperial Knights** 63.30
5. Emmaus Sentinels 61.35

 **HAMILTON, Ont. August 23 RCA Championships** Prelims

1. Rochester Phoenix 83.70
2. Guelph Royalaires (-0.2) 82.58
3. Hanover Lancers (-1.0) 82.10
4. Erie Thunderbirds (-0.30) 80.36
5. Brass Inc. 74.06
6. Hamburg Kingsmen 71.05
7. Kingston Grenadiers/Yardmen (-0.3) 70.50
8. Dunkirk Patriots (-0.1) 67.93
9. Emmaus Sentinels 64.20
10. **Imperial Knights** 62.51
11. Johnsonburg Diplomats (-0.1) 61.98
12. York White Roses (-0.1) 56.88
13. Suburban Knights 55.65
14. Gypsy Brass (-1.0) 50.20
15. Garden Statesmen (-0.1) 46.74

Finals

1. Rochester Phoenix 88.06
2. Guelph Royalaires 83.53
3. Erie Thunderbirds 82.85
4. Hanover Lancers 79.70
5. Brass, Inc. 72.65
6. Hamburg Kingsmen 67.33
7. Dunkirk Patriots65.50
8. Kingston Grenadiers/Yardmen 60.00
9. Emmaus Sentinels 59.28
10. **Imperial Knights** 56.85
11. Johnsonburg Diplomats 55.13
12. York White Roses 52.05

```
***1976***

```

**REPERTOIRE**

* Enter the Young
* drum solo
* Naughty Lady of Shady Lane

**ERIE PA August 28 RCA Championships**

1. Erie Thunderbirds 85.89
2. Johnsonburg Diplomats 79.21
3. Westshoremen 77.63
4. Guelph Royalaires 76.96
5. Hanover Lancers 75.98
6. Hamburg Kingsmen 72.78
7. Kingston Grenadiers/Yardmen 71.85
8. Dunkirk Patriots 66.64
9. York White Roses 57.74
10. **Imperial Knights** 50.59