Just about everyone loves a band in a parade, and especially when patriotic march music is included (such as John Philip Sousa marches, “The Washington Post” and “Semper Fidelis”). A live band makes a parade on Memorial Day and the Fourth of July special.

Some Fourth of July parades this year had no bands, and some were lucky to have one. It’s a sad commentary.

I play snare drum in the Old Crow Band in Farmington and we play in several summer parades each summer, including Andover, Wilton, Rangeley, Kingfield, Madison, etc.

It is fun — really — and folks ought to get into the beat.

There are thousands of former high school musical instrument players all over Maine who could pick up their musical talents, form a band and rekindle a dying American tradition — the local town band.

Walter Gooley, Farmington