Chicago Royal Airs Senior

In August of 2001, a handful of Royal Air alumni met in Elgin, Illinois, to discuss the possible nomination of the corps founder, Sie Lurye, to the DCI Hall of Fame. The idea of forming a single-season return of the Royal Airs to coincide with Sie's induction was broached at that meeting. Responses to an alumni survey were somewhat positive, but organizers knew that in order to pull off a quality tribute season, they would need to open up corps membership to anyone with drum corps experience over the age of 21.

A board of directors was elected, and Jackie Lurye-Borrelli was named corps director. Organizers assembled an able staff of Mitch Markovich, Truman Crawford, Gene Vandenbosch, Dale Peters and Dorothy Heitman; they also set about the difficult task of securing equipment. The United States Air Force Academy and the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps loaned horns. The Cavaliers and Madison Scouts loaned percussion equipment until the corps was able to secure the sponsorship of Dynasty drums, Pro-Mark drumsticks, Zildjian cymbals, and Evans drumheads.

Once the equipment was secured, the new corps' membership swelled to its full 170. They agreed to perform a show at DCI Semifinals in August, plus seven other exhibitions throughout the summer of 2002, concluding with the DCA
Alumni Show in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

The Royal Airs Tribute Corps developed a nostalgia-filled show featuring music and marching style that had been popular in the corps' power years in the 1960s but which contrasted strikingly to modern corps styles. Their performance was a sensation, warmly appreciated by the 15,000 fans at the 2002 DCI Semifinals in Madison.

The 2002 tribute tour was so successful that the Royal Airs Senior Exhibition Drum and Bugle Corps continued operations in 2003, and "will be back for more in 2004" under the direction of Jackie Lurye Borrelli.

The Royal Airs continue the traditional field performance, with a start and finish line, a flag presentation, and military precision.

The official Royal Air web site will continue to be www.royalairs.org.

[Bob Doran; Dave Strickler; DCW, 2/04, p.18]

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