Mike Leckrone, retired University of Wisconsin Band Director, brings joy wherever he appears, with or without his band or baton. Recently, his audience was The Rotary Club of Madison West Middleton. With nary a note in hand, the stories began to pour forth, bringing laughter and joy to a packed house.
Starting in 1969, and for 50 years, Leckrone entertained audiences at games, concerts and parades. His baton was a joy stick, not a gaming controller, but one used to call forth the best from a group of college musicians, most often heard at games.
As Leckrone tells it, he arrived at the University of Wisconsin, to take over a band, which he said was not very good. Mike was the third band director in three years, which made him wonder just how long he would last. Leckrone’s arrival was in the middle of the Vietnam War, and there were campus marches, protests and riots. The football team hadn’t won a game in two years. Leckrone’s first band had 96 members. As Mike remembered it, if you knew which end of the horn to blow in, you made the band. His first band was all men, but Leckrone changed all that, the first in the Big Ten to do so. With the addition of women, Leckrone noted how the quality of the band improved.
Leckrone’s description of himself as a teacher and coach, wasn’t always readily appreciated by all of his fellow educators. One of those naysayers, made light of the maestro calling himself a teacher. That person was heard to remark: “You teach farm kids how to play beer commercials.” Leckrone’s response to the arrogance was a suggestion the faculty member take his students out before a stadium full of people to recite all he had taught them! There is no record of the challenge being accepted.
Leckrone’s first University of Wisconsin performance was for the basketball team. Then, it was for the football team, followed by Bob Johnson’s hockey team. Eventually, Mike Leckrone’s musicians played for every varsity sport, except one - the Fencing Team! Early in his UW tenure, when the Badger Football team was struggling, Leckrone’s marching band may have been the show. Leckrone remembers thinking a circus theme might excite the Camp Randall crowd, but he needed an elephant to complete his plan. He called Circus World in Baraboo and asked if they might have access to a loaner pachyderm of the elephant variety. Circus World was happy to help. Leckrone’s first thought was to lead the elephant on to the football field, but showman that he is, Leckrone decided to climb aboard and ride into the stadium. The big, gray beast didn’t disappoint. At the 50 yard line, Molly the Elephant spiked a deposit. The reaction of the crowd was uproarious! Unfortunately, the Badgers were penalized five yards for delay of the game!
Most of Leckrone’s Rotary audience had likely stayed for his 5th Quarter performances after football games. Tunes included “On Wisconsin,” “The Bud Song,” “Dance Little Chicken” (The Chicken Dance), Beer Barrel Polka,” “Hey Baby” and more. A good many, undoubtedly remembered, Leckrone’s Spring Concert Elvis Presley type costumes and his grand entrances, including on a motorcycle, a hang glider, a jet pack and others. He was the showman extraordinaire!
Anyone watching Leckrone’s University of Wisconsin Marching Band would have noticed a unique marching style. He called it “Stop at the Top”
It required lifting a foot up, a brief hesitation, and then dropping the foot to the ground. It became the band’s trademark, a signature style.
If you want to learn more about the legendary Mike Leckrone and his marvelous University of Wisconsin Bands, check out Moments of Happiness: A Wisconsin Band Story, by Mike Leckrone and Doug Moe, or tune in here for a video!