From a Blue Stars press release: John Wasson will return to the Blue Stars this season, as the corps anticipates is largest incarnation since 1979. This will be Wasson's second season as the corps' arranger. Wasson is a composer, producer and performer with a wide range of musical experiences spanning many genres. He has composed and produced music for such groups and ensembles as the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the U.S. Air Force "Airmen of Note," the Texas Boys Choir and the Dallas Brass. His published music appears in the catalogs of Hal Leonard Publications, Warner Bros. Publications, and Word Music, Inc. As an instrumentalist, John has been a bass trombone performer with the Woody Herman and Stan Kenton Orchestras, the Dallas Brass, the Dallas Symphony and Dallas Opera Orchestras. He has worked with such notable artists as Michael Bolton, Tony Bennett, Bill Conti, Cab Calloway, Reba McIntyre, Liza Minnelli, Frank Sinatra, Jr., Richard Stolzman and Joe Williams. Other clients of Wasson's include the Dallas Cowboys Football Club, Electronic Data Systems, Radio Shack, the Salvation Army, Southern Methodist University and Walt Disney World. "It's great to have John back with us again," said Blue Stars executive director Greg Struve. "We're thrilled to have someone with John's talent and background working on our 2005 program. His professional experience will be invaluable to the Blue Stars as we strive to design a program that is enjoyable and challenging for our members to perform, and simultaneously entertaining and appealing to the audience and judges." "I also think it speaks volumes that John is an alumnus of the corps and is returning to help the Blue Stars continue the momentum created over the past few seasons. The Blue Stars are considered a family, and whether you marched in the corps in the '60s, the '80s or today, you always have a home in La Crosse," Struve said. Wasson was a baritone player for the Blue Stars during the 1974, '75 and '76 seasons, and is excited to work with the organization that helped him get his start in music. "I am so grateful for the opportunities the Blue Stars offered me," said Wasson. "Even while marching with the corps in the '70s, I often dreamed of one day writing for a drum corps maybe even my own! Now that I have enjoyed so many fascinating musical opportunities, I can think of no better way of saying thank you than to come back and contribute to an organization that played such a pivotal role in my own music education. I am excited at the prospect of giving everything I can to help the members, the program, and the reputation of the Blue Stars reach the highest levels possible. I am looking forward to a great season in 2005!" For audition materials and information for the Blue Stars' brass line, check out the Blue Stars' Web site.