Music has long been a part of modern military life, from the little drummer boys of the 19th century to the present day. The US Army has carried on this tradition with the US Army Band, which states that it exists to “connect the Army to the American people.” The US Army Band contains various ensembles, including a ceremonial band, a string quartet, and a country band. One of the most popular ensembles is the Downrange ensemble.
The Downrange ensemble comes together to cover popular music and bring modern energy to the US Army Band shows. One of their most famous performances is a medley of Queen songs that the group performed in 2020. The members performed a mashup of Queen’s biggest hits, including ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’, ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’, ‘Somebody to Love’, and ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. With the lead parts shared between the group’s vocalists, they pulled off an impressive version of the classic rock hits.
Online viewers expressed a number of responses towards the performance. Many commented on the different ways music can be beneficial for people, with one viewer commenting, “So good for morale and mental health. Great stuff.” Another imagined a world where wars were fought through music, commenting, “If only we could fight all wars this way, it would be a true competition and a world of peace!” Ultimately, viewers came together to celebrate the power of music and how it can unite listeners.
While their Queen medley has been their most popular performance, garnering 6.6M online views, they have also performed many other songs by classic rock artists. One of their other most popular concerts focused on performing songs by The Who. Their most popular covers were the Tommy ‘Overture’ and ‘1921’, also from the Tommy album. Many were moved by the poignancy of their performance of ‘Overture’, with its single stanza telling the story of missing British Army soldier “Captain Walker.”
While having a highly talented modern musical department is perhaps something not everyone would expect from the US Army, it is clearly considered crucial enough to be included in their activities. It is clear, with Downrange in particular, that the army members performing songs that the general public knows and loves can help people form a more personal connection with their country’s military. If one thing can be seen from the reactions to this video, it’s that music can bring people together and provide comfort and support even through the toughest of circumstances.
If you would like to hear more from the talented musicians of The US Army Band, you can subscribe to their YouTube Channel for more incredible music. You can also follow them on Facebook and Instagram. For more information and upcoming performances, visit their website.