Alberta Girls

The Alberta All Girls drum & bugle band, largest of its kind in the world, had represented Canada in many international events since its conception in 1970 by Band Director, Bob Nagel and his wife, Pat. 

The bright white and orange uniforms, the dazzling gleam of the horns and percussion and the colorful flags were seen at festival events in Canada, the United States, Mexico and Europe. They were also fortunate to receive a great new facility when the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Edmonton moved to new quarters and leased their old hall to the Girls for one dollar a year.

The band had so many firsts in its initial years of existence that the pace was staggering even for the youthful 14 to 21 year-olds. They were the first Canadian band to perform at the halftime show break during the National Football League games in the United States, the first to play for a Bullfight audience in Mexico, the first to play at Caesar's Palace and the "Circus Circus", a family entertainment casino in Las Vegas.

In the fall of 1970, Bob and Pat had four marching bands in the Edmonton area, all with over 100 members and all touring the province. The four bands included the Alberta All Girls Senior (14-21), the Alberta Girls Junior Band (10-14), the Alberta All Boys (11-21) and the Hobbema Girls Marching Band. A convoy of 24 vehicles was needed to take the four groups to the Kelowna Regatta that year!

This group may the only drum corps ever to compete in Canada, the United States, and Mexico in the same busy year, 1971. Their first overseas performance tour was highlighted with an invitation to perform for the traditional lighting of the flame that signifies the start of the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Germany. International performances included the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland in 1972 and 1973 and the Rose of Tralee Festival in Ireland in 1973 and 1977.

In 1974, the Alberta Girls were seen by an estimated one third of the world's population when they were the official entertainment for the final game of the World Cup Soccer Championships held in the Olympic Stadium in Munich. The National Film Board of Canada produced a movie on location.

In the fall of 1974, the corps entered the field of drum corps competition for one season, converting as a drum and bugle corps. They competed at the DCI Championships in the “All Girls” class, finishing 7^th and were instructed by Fred Sanford and Michael Duffy as musical director. Michael was instrumental in convincing other valued instructors, such as Bobby Hoffman, Ralph Hardimon and Wayne Downey to either move to Edmonton or work with the Girls on tour.

In 1976, the corps reverted back to band status and the following year, they made a performance tour that took them away from Canada for two and a half months and included performances in 13 different countries. A highlight of this tour included performances in commemoration of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's, Silver Jubilee and a performance for Pope John Paul VI at his summer residence home, Castel, Gandolfo, Italy.

They disbanded in 1978.