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‘Pershing’s Own’ preps for inauguration

If temperatures drop too low on Inauguration Day, for members of the U.S. Army Band — “Pershing’s Own” — no worries. “Antifreeze” was written just for that.

Wind instruments like trumpets, baritones and clarinets can freeze in cold temperatures, rendering their moving parts immovable, but “Antifreeze” doesn’t require any movement or sliding.

“If things freeze up, you can still get notes to come out, so it’s like a bugle call for a band,” says Sgt. Major Mitch Spray, drum major of the band. Of course, that’s a worse-case scenario.

“We don’t want to have to do that,” he says. “We want to play the other things.”

The band gathered for a brief practice session on Jan. 9 at the Brucker Hall recital auditorium to iron out inaugural details and to decide on music. Among the songs played will be “Stars & Stripes” and, if the weather goes south, “Antifreeze.”

Spray led the band through a handful of songs, then offered instructions for Inauguration Day from dress code requirements to meals.

This will be Spray’s fifth inauguration.

“We do ceremonies all the time,” he says. “You get into a zone where you say, ‘OK, this is my job, this is what we’re doing and I’m going to do it.’ But hopefully, once in a while you’re able to reflect on the fact that you’re a part of American history here.”

He hopes his fellow soldiers will take pride in the mission but also do a good job.

“I try to keep this mind-set, we do this all the time,” he says. “Yes, it’s for the President of the United States; no, we don’t do it for the President all the time. But this is what we do. It’s special.”

Sgt. Maj. Dennis Edelbrock, the most senior member of the band who has played in eight inaugurations to date, is ready for whatever Mother Nature throws his way.

“It’s a lot of work and it can be very, very cold,” he says, “but it’s an honor.”

Edelbrock has played for half a dozen presidents in his distinguished career and is a member of the Army’s Brass Quintet. He knows how exhausting an event like this can be, especially toward the end of the evening.

“It’s very cute to see the secret service dogs on the floor at the balls,” he says, mimicking a sleeping mutt.