Latest News

  • Stewart’s Shops zone change request nixed in Manlius
  • Developer plans DeWitt solar farm
  • THEATER REVIEW: ‘Mamma Mia!’ takes it all
  • Minoa mayor opposes cuts to AIM funding
  • Westhill tops Marcellus; J-E falls to Skaneateles

Local News for Syracuse and Central New York

  • Home
  • Pubs
    • Baldwinsville Messenger
    • Cazenovia Republican
    • Eagle Bulletin
    • Eagle Observer
    • Eagle Pennysaver
    • Skaneateles Press
    • Star Review
  • News
    • Government
    • Business
      • Keys to Financial Wellness
      • Progress
    • Crime
    • Schools
    • Achievers
    • Obituaries
    • Photo Galleries
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • College Sports
    • Community Sports
    • Professional Sports
  • Opinion
    • Your Opinion
    • Our Opinion
    • Point of View
  • Things to Do
    • Events Calendar
    • Arts
    • Food
    • Entertainment
    • Health & Fitness
    • Music
    • Home & Garden
    • Outdoors
  • Magazines
    • Syracuse Parent
      • Parenting News
      • Parenting Columns
      • Parenting Resources
    • Syracuse Woman
    • Prime Living
    • Explore CNY
    • Bridal Exquisite
  • Classifieds
    • Browse
    • Search
    • Place
    • Real Estate CNY
    • Cars 315
    • Advertiser Login
  • Subscribe
    • Baldwinsville Messenger
    • Cazenovia Republican
    • Eagle Bulletin
    • Eagle Observer
    • Eagle Star Review
    • Skaneateles Press
    • Out of Town Subscription
  • follow
    • Facebook

Lamirande’s last hurrah: B’ville musician’s Army career comes to a close

Jan 11, 2017 Ashley M. Casey Achievers, Baldwinsville Messenger, Milestones, Music, News, Publications


Lamirande’s last hurrah: B’ville musician’s Army career comes to a close

TAPS family member Jason Thomas, 6, plays a mandolin with the help of Army Master Sgt. John Lamirande, of the U.S. Army Filed Band’s Six String Soldiers, at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, May 22, 2015. Lamirande, of Baldwinsville, is retiring from the band. (DoD News photo by EJ Hersom)


By Ashley M. Casey

Staff Writer

After 31 years, Master Sgt. John Lamirande is hanging up his fatigues. Later this year, the Baldwinsville native will retire from the U.S. Army, where he has served as an audio engineer for the U.S. Army Field Band and participated in other musical groups.

Lamirande mentored his last group of student musicians at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, which took place Jan. 7 in San Antonio, Texas. The All-American Bowl features nearly 100 high school football players and 125 high school marching band members, who perform in the halftime show.

“Every year we have a unique opportunity to play with the best students from across the country,” Lamirande said. “The work ethic that they have really ties into our message and what the Army’s all about. The Army is all about excellence, no matter what you do.”

Lamirande, who plays the electric bass, guitar, piano and drums, joined the Army as a musician in 1986 after graduating from Baker High School. The following year, Lamirande graduated from the Little Creek Naval School of Music. Since 2001, Lamirande has been an audio engineer for offshoots of the U.S. Army Field Band such as the Volunteers, the Soldiers’ Chorus and the Concert Band.

As his career comes to a close, Lamirande reflected on the memories he’s made in the last 30 years.

“When you go through high school and you read about history, it’s one thing. When you go to another country and experience it, it makes you appreciate living here,” said Lamirande, who has traveled with Army musical groups to Iraq, Kuwait, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico.

“People throw words around like ‘liberty’ and ‘freedom’ — you never take for granted what you have,” he said.

Based at Fort Meade in Maryland, Lamirande spends about one-third of the year on tour, spreading the message of the Army’s values. One of his recent ventures is playing in Six-String Soldiers, a four-member group that was formed about a year and a half ago. Six-String Soldiers specializes in Americana, folk, bluegrass and Irish music.

When winter weather caused Six-String Soldiers to cancel a show in February 2015, the group decided to perform anyway.

“We went out on the snow bank of our hotel and played ‘Here Comes the Sun,’” Lamirande said.

The video of that song now has 8.7 million views on Facebook.

Another memorable moment for Six-String Soldiers was a gig at an Indiana veterans’ home. One Vietnam veteran at the home requested a Creedence Clearwater Revival song. Six-String Soldiers obliged with “Bad Moon Rising,” which they also posted online.

“[CCR frontman] John Fogerty saw the video, invited us out to Las Vegas to open up for him at the Venetian and then he went to a VA home with us,” Lamirande said.

Social media avenues such as Facebook have amplified Six-String Soldiers’ reach. The band has almost 332,000 likes on Facebook.

Lamirande said the band streamed a holiday concert via Facebook Live, and his 5-year-old grandson, Ryder, joined him onstage to sing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” Lamirande’s mother, who taught her son how to play piano and guitar, watches her son’s faraway concerts on her iPad.

“It really resonates not just with people with our own country here; we have fans all over the world,” Lamirande said. “It’s a great way for me to end my career, to be a part of the transition and technology.”

The most recent memory Lamirande shared came the week leading up to the All-American Bowl. Lamirande stopped by a music store to pick up some equipment for a student musician, and he decided to noodle around on a ukulele in the store. A young girl with Down syndrome and her grandmother happened to be in the store as well.

“This girl starts singing with me: ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow.’ It was a very emotional moment for the grandmother. She didn’t expect to see a soldier in a music store,” Lamirande said. “It’s why I joined the Army — to share the talents I have and make people happy.”

As for what’s next, Lamirande said he is looking forward to spending more time with his family and community in Laurel, Maryland.

“I’m looking forward to being able to do a little more in the community whether it be with my church choir or with my kids,” he said, adding that he’s always dreamed of getting into talk radio.

But with nine months to go before his retirement, Lamirande does have a wish for B’ville: “I would love it if I could have my last concert in my hometown.”

Related

Comment on this Story


  • army, Baldwinsville, military, music, six string soldiers, u.s. army field band

From the supervisor’s office: Town of Cicero releases 2016 annual report Health department: Flu is widespread in Onondaga County

Ashley M. Casey
Ashley M. Casey

Ashley M. Casey is a reporter for The Baldwinsville Messenger and The Eagle Star-Review. She graduated from Le Moyne College in 2012 and previously worked for the Scotsman Press.

More in this category
  • Stewart’s Shops zone change request nixed in Manlius
    Stewart’s Shops zone change request...

    Feb 21, 2019 0

  • Developer plans DeWitt solar farm
    Developer plans DeWitt solar farm

    Feb 21, 2019 0

  • Minoa mayor opposes cuts to AIM funding
    Minoa mayor opposes cuts to AIM funding

    Feb 21, 2019 0

  • Years Ago in Skaneateles
    Years Ago in Skaneateles

    Feb 20, 2019 0


This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Follow Us on Twitter

Tweets von @"@EagleNewsOnline"

  • Popular
  • Latest
  • Tag
  • Posted: State DEC’s hunting regulations put burden of...

    Dec 06, 2011

  • Headlines of ’09: Carpenter’s Brook on the hook

    Jan 07, 2010

  • Post 88 announces Veterans Day events
    Post 88 announces Veterans Day events

    Nov 02, 2016

  • Education commission report sparks debate

    Jan 08, 2013

  • Politics for your playlist

    Feb 04, 2011

  • 18 positions on the line at J-E; superintendent will retire...

    Mar 24, 2010

  • Stewart’s Shops zone change request nixed in Manlius
    Stewart’s Shops zone change request nixed in Manlius

    Feb 21, 2019

  • Developer plans DeWitt solar farm
    Developer plans DeWitt solar farm

    Feb 21, 2019

  • THEATER REVIEW: ‘Mamma Mia!’ takes it all
    THEATER REVIEW: ‘Mamma Mia!’ takes it all

    Feb 21, 2019

  • Minoa mayor opposes cuts to AIM funding
    Minoa mayor opposes cuts to AIM funding

    Feb 21, 2019

  • Westhill tops Marcellus; J-E falls to Skaneateles

    Feb 21, 2019

  • Caz, Chittneango girls hoops ousted in sectional quarterfinals

    Feb 21, 2019

  • A law suit will be a healthy exercise. The planning board members should have nothing to worry abou...

    3 years ago

  • Yet Skp Carritch tolerates the criminal that is the B'ville Blotter. Step up to the plate Skip...

    3 years ago

  • Peter’s been good; there’s been one complaint in two years,” Zupan said. “He’s trying, I will say th...

    3 years ago

  • This is exciting. I'm with Fayetteville fire department. It's about time Manlius upgrades to a more ...

    3 years ago

  • If Mr. Wells is proud of the campaign he waged (almost entirely negative and hugely reliant on Ray H...

    3 years ago

  • There seems to be more here than the article references. It 'sounds like' the town board wants to ge...

    3 years ago

assembly Baldwinsville Baseball Bishop Grimes Bishop Ludden boys basketball boys lacrosse boys soccer C-NS Cazenovia CBA Chittenango cicero column crime cross country election ESM F-M football for a good cause from the mailbag fundraiser girls basketball girls lacrosse girls soccer history indoor track J-D J-E letter letters to the editor letter to the editor liverpool lysander Marcellus north syracuse russ tarby skaneateles Solvay track and field volleyball West Genesee Westhill wrestling

Like Us on Facebook

Like Us on Facebook

Posts by Category

Useful Links

  • About Us
  • Our Team
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Graduate submission form
  • Employment
  • Terms of Use

Tags & Keywords

assembly Baldwinsville Baseball Bishop Grimes Bishop Ludden boys basketball boys lacrosse boys soccer C-NS Cazenovia CBA Chittenango cicero column crime cross country election ESM F-M football for a good cause from the mailbag fundraiser girls basketball girls lacrosse girls soccer history indoor track J-D J-E letter letters to the editor letter to the editor liverpool lysander Marcellus north syracuse russ tarby skaneateles Solvay track and field volleyball West Genesee Westhill wrestling

Posts by Date

January 2017
M T W T F S S
« Dec   Feb »
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031  
Copyright 2019 Eaglenewsonline / All rights reserved
  • About Us
  • Our Team
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Graduate submission form
  • Employment
  • Terms of Use