Beasley, Nicholson named 2004 Carolina Crown drum majors

Justin Nicholson, a two-year Carolina Crown mellophone veteran, and Bob Beasley, who played baritone for the corps last summer, have been named The Ft. Mill, S.C., corps' 2004 drum majors. "In Justin and Bob I think the corps has selected for our drum majors two very fine examples of the strong leaders you can find throughout the membership of Carolina Crown. I am sure they will serve the members and the organization well," said Carolina Crown Executive Director Kevin Smith. Nicholson, 20, is a junior sociology major at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La. His hometown is in Lafayette, La., where his "very supportive" parents continue to reside, and where he played mellophone in the Comeaux High School band for four years. 2004 will be Nicholson 's second, and age-out, season with Carolina Crown, having marched in the mellophone line in 2003. He has also marched mellophone for three years in the LSU band. "Being selected as drum major is a tremendous honor and I cannot wait to take on this prestigious role. I look forward to being a leader that helps to maintain the high standards that Crown has always shown, and soaring to even greater heights next year," Nicholson said. Beasley,18, just began his freshman year at William and Mary as a government major. He attended high school in his hometown of Danville, Va., at George Washington HS, where he was in the marching band under the direction of Reginald Purvis. Beasley's first year at Carolina Crown was 2003, as a member of the baritone line. His success last year was "strongly supported" by the trio of his parents, his band and his church. Regarding his selection as a 2004 drum major, Bob said, "I am very excited to be one of the two drum majors for Carolina Crown's 2004 season, and I look forward to continuing the success of last year through this leadership role."