"On the field... From Madison, Wisconsin... The Madison Scouts!"

Back in the 1980s and 90s, when those words were spoken through the PA system at the local drum corps competition, the crowd knew exactly what was going to happen.

Precision. Discipline. Young males crossing the threshold into manhood in real time.

And that sound...

Hitting you as though you’re running into a brick wall at 70 miles an hour.

Seriously. It was an experience unlike any other, and it taught me the incredible power that brass instruments can have in invoking intense emotions in people.

Wherever they went, the Madison Scouts brought a distinct energy, a distinct voice that set them apart from the rest of the field.

This is not something that just happened. It was the result of years and years of building a system that was designed to make the most out of every ounce of human energy, financial resources, and musical and athletic ability of which members.

Many people were involved in planning and implementing this system. And at the helm of this entire program was a gentleman by the name of Scott Stewart.

Scott is, by his own admission, a dinosaur compared to the drum corps activity in its current form. In fact, you'll hear in this interview why Scott felt he was the lone hold out against innovations such as electronics, props, and the musical choices of the corps'.

But this interview is not an airing of grievances. It's just that 32 years after spending a summer on the road, going from town to town, playing my horn in tiny towns as well as NFL stadiums alongside 127 young men, I recall it very fondly. It is no exaggeration to say it is one of the most profound periods of personal growth in my life.

So I asked Scott if we could meet up at his home near Madison so I could pick his brain on what exactly went into making the Madison experience so memorable. Not just for the members and staff, but for the thousands of fans who for over two decades relished every performance.

Episode Highlights

Scott Stewart’s entry into drum corps: Scott recalls joining the Madison Scouts in 1968, when drum corps was still local, inexpensive, militaristic, and community-based.

How the activity changed in the early 1970s: The shift from short local seasons to longer tours, more rehearsal time, and a higher level of performance.

The old drum corps “ecosystem”: How smaller corps, feeder corps, and regional organizations once supported the larger activity, especially through Drum Corps Midwest.

Scott’s rise into leadership: Scott describes moving from marching member to staff member, director, program coordinator, and executive director.

The Madison Scouts system: Staff continuity, member-first leadership, rehearsal philosophy, and the culture that made Madison distinct.

Designing shows audiences remembered: Music selection, emotional pacing, impact moments, variety, climaxes, endings, and why Madison shows connected so deeply with crowds.

The golden age of drum corps: Scott identifies the mid-1980s through mid-1990s as the activity’s golden age and explains what made that period so powerful.

Changes in modern drum corps: Electronics, props, staging, uniforms, musical choices, rising costs, and the loss of melody and drill design.

The Madison experience a rite of passage: The interview closes with a personal reflection on the Madison Scouts as a formative experience for young men moving into adulthood.

Scott’s legacy of service: Scott reflects emotionally on his role as a servant-leader and the privilege of shaping generations of Madison Scouts.