In the world of drum corps, passion and perseverance are easily found, and emotions often run high. At Spirit of Atlanta, this passion extends beyond music and performances, weaving a tapestry of enduring friendships and love stories. Within the heart of the corps, remarkable connections are forged under the scorching Georgia sun, weathered through the challenges of the activity, and solidified over time. Relationships formed through drum corps are not a new concept, but special attention is given to the couples whose love was sparked by the Delta.
Ryan (Baritone, 2014-16) and Katie Anderson (Color Guard, 2015-16) met during Spirit of Atlanta’s 2015 season. He was a returning veteran from 2014, and she was a rookie. On the second day of move-ins, Ryan introduced himself. Katie found him cute from the start, and it turned out he felt the same way about her. That summer, they became close friends. When the season ended, they stayed in touch through texts and long Skype calls, and by December 2015, they began dating. Their relationship was long-distance, with Ryan living in Florida and Katie in South Carolina, but they made it work. Both returned for the 2016 season, which was Ryan’s age-out year. In 2017, Ryan moved to South Carolina to live with Katie while she finished college. After graduating, they moved to her hometown of Rock Hill, SC. Life continued forward, and in 2019, Ryan proposed. That December, they bought their first house, and a year later, they got married. In November 2023, they moved again, and just a few months later, they discovered they were expecting their first child. On October 31, 2024, they welcomed their son, Connor Ryan. Looking back, it is amazing how a single introduction during move-ins led to such a beautiful life together. Spirit of Atlanta not only provided great memories—it brought them together as best friends and life partners.
Similarly, Kelly Brannon (French Horn, 1977-79) and Jeff Wright (Soprano 1978, Mellophone 1979) met during the 1978 season. Despite admiring each other from afar, their paths did not seem destined to cross until a mutual friend introduced them during a rehearsal. As their romance blossomed, Kelly made a bold move by switching from the drum bus to Jeff’s bus for the second tour. Soon enough, Jeff’s seat partner caught the hint that three might be a crowd and relocated, allowing their love to grow.
The following year, before the corps left for the first tour (by which time Jeff had switched to Mellophone), he asked for Kelly’s hand in marriage. After the remarkable 1979 season, they married in March 1980. The next twenty years were busy as they raised four children—Shannon, Patrick, Mary Colleen, and Tori. Shannon and Patrick became the first second-generation Spirit members in 2001, with Mary Colleen joining them in 2002. Tori marched with Carolina Crown in 2011. Jeff and Kelly remained involved, volunteering on tour for a few weeks each summer while their children marched. They also joined the Atlanta CorpsVets Senior Corps, and between 2001 and 2010, the entire family participated in marching and traveling with Atlanta CV.
Some of Jeff and Kelly’s most treasured memories include playing “Georgia” alongside their children, with Freddy conducting, at various times over the years. Their family has now grown to include 12 grandchildren, all of whom are learning to play instruments, with the high schoolers beginning their own competitive marching careers. Jeff and Kelly dream of one day cheering on the third generation of Spirit members at DCI Finals. Their story is a testament to the unexpected journeys that a horn audition, an introduction, and many miles on a tour bus can create.
Half of the next couple is also part of the 2025 staff and a Hall of Fame inductee—Alan Armstrong (Soprano, 1982-86, plus staff for many more years) and Ginger (Guard, 1985-87, long-time tour volunteer, drum corps widow and fundraiser). Their love story began when Alan noticed the “cute redhead” during winter camps. At the time, he was dating someone else, but as summer approached, fate—and Steve Sorrell—stepped in when the corps went to perform for President Reagan. During a pizza break while the Secret Service cleared the corps’ equipment, Alan was officially introduced to Ginger.
Upon learning that Ginger was moving in early for spring training from Texas, Alan and his roommate invited her and a friend to join them at Whitewater, a water park, along with some visiting hometown friends. The situation with Alan’s on-again, off-again girlfriend became more complicated as he wanted to get to know Ginger better.
As the weeks progressed, their first “date” took place at a drummer’s house before they left for tour. That night cemented their connection, at least for the summer. When they returned home from tour to Houston and Jacksonville, they remained unofficial, but Alan took a leap, attending Ginger’s senior prom in Texas. While dancing to “I Can’t Fight This Feeling,” he knew in his heart they were meant to be.
Their bond strengthened as they marched together, got engaged in 1987, and married in 1988. Over the years, they taught drum corps together, raised four children (all of whom are involved in the marching arts), and remained best friends through it all. Ginger teaches math and founded the Northgate Winter Guard and the circuit now known as SAPA, while Alan has been a band director for 37 years. As they approach retirement, they are excited to spend more time with family, including the newest addition to their family—their first grandchild—while continuing to pursue their shared passion for the performing arts.
1991 was a huge year for relationships from Spirit of Atlanta - our first summer of love couple to highlight is Dave and Sharon Coheley. (You likely recognize them from the 2024 Hall of Fame inductees.) Dave (Bass Drum & Snare, 1981-84) was driving the food “ladies” in a van, and Sharon (Guard, 1977) was running merchandise (souvies) out of that same van. The two met over “gas pumps” on the first tour. After that first tour, Dave went back to Ft Walton Beach, and Sharon returned home to life with Spirit and the Sprayberry band. As Finals week drew closer, Dave and a friend drove to Dallas where Sharon and him caught up, again. Fast forward to Spirit’s November camp, and who shows up to offer to help Sharon unload souvies but - you guessed it - Dave Coheley. As the summer of 1992 continued, Sharon was working double-time helping teaching the color guard, and still managing souvies, and Dave was teaching the drum line. The two were pretty much inseparable by then. Dave taught again in 1993, and the couple married in June of the same year. The two have continued to love and support the drum corps, with Dave (of course) now being the Assistant Director, and Sharon still continuing to do everything she can to ensure the corps continues to offer the incredible opportunity for growth, education, and relationship-building that brought the Coheleys together.
Mary (Stone) and Kyle Shiflett’s story also began in 1991. It was Mary’s (Color Guard, 1991-92) first year and Kyle’s (Soprano, 1987-92) fifth year. During the ballad, the 30-member guard was placed into 15 pairs and matched with a soprano player for a lift sequence – and that’s how Kyle swept Mary off her feet — literally! You can see their full lift on this video. After tour, their love continued to grow and Kyle took Mary to her Senior Prom in 1992 where he continued to sweep her off her feet. When she started college, she decided to follow Kyle to JSU where he was finishing his undergrad. They were married in June 1995, moved around a bit, and finally started their family in 2012. Their two girls (Claire and Olivia) have loved every Drum Corps show they’ve attended.
Our next couple you likely recognize from the 2023 Hall of Fame class. You’d be surprised to guess that Brooke (Guard, 2003-06) & John’s (Contra, 2000-03) story doesn’t exactly begin with love at first sight. "Woodstock" (John) was an age-out with three summers of blood, sweat, (and tears?) already under his belt while Brooke was a rookie... bright eyed, bushy tailed, and just trying to not hit Adam Swan with her rifle during "Vermo". John actually booed her once when she was telling jokes on the bus because he did not find her the least bit amusing... (Don’t worry, she still holds that one over his head sometimes!) So, what changed? After aging out, John was immediately an active alumnus. He spent a lot of time volunteering, and therefore, Brooke saw him every summer that she was marching until her age-out in 2006. In the spring of 2008, Brooke & John had the most memorable first date ever (y'all remember that tornado in downtown Atlanta? Yeah, it was that night!) and that summer Brooke started helping him with the Atlanta Regional, Talladega, and then they both did some weeks on the road selling souvies. As you can likely imagine, this was a great barometer for testing a relationship. One memory that sticks out for them is driving the back way into Iowa at 2am with a 2000 lb trailer that neither of them could back up worth a damn, and a fuel gauge that didn’t work. John & Brooke’s relationship is truly one that is woven into Spirit’s history, as they have continued to be incredibly supportive, active alumni with the corps. They both believe that volunteering their time (hint, hint) to the corps after marching has brought them even closer, and these shared experiences and memories created a strong foundation for them to continue building on for years to come.
Vince “Cheeseburger” (Trumpet, 2010, Mellophone 2011) and Destin (Guard, 2010-11) met in 2010 (Icon) when Vince jumped in half-way through spring training. The two met behind a prop where Destin refused to call Vince by Cheeseburger, and he was forced to tell her his real name. That is where they began to forge their relationship(….get it…Forging an Icon..anyyy way…). The couple decided to continue dating after the summer just to make sure it wasn’t tour goggles. (Icon) The only problem was that Destin was going to school in Alabama, and Vince lived in Tennessee. So he did the most sensible thing possible, and got a job in Tuscaloosa to be closer (he knew he didn’t want to be any further away than he had to!) The 2011 season rolled around, and Vince knew that he didn’t want this feeling to end, so he not-so-secretly planned to ask Destin to marry him at some point that summer. With the help of so many friends and alumni of Spirit, Cheeseburger successfully asked Destin to marry him during the delta ceremony in Atlanta, right after the corps sang salvation. Since marching, the couple has grown so much, moved around a bit, started a family…but one thing remains unchanged, and that’s Destin’s refusal to call Vince Cheeseburger.
Bailey Burks (Trumpet 16-17, Drum Major 19) and Garrett Hunt (Quads, 16-17) met at the first full corps camp that included the drum line - at lunch, in the Luella High School cafeteria in April of 2016. They marched together for their first two years in 2016-2017, with Garrett aging out in ‘17. Who would have thought that the easy part would be the active drum corps season? Life quickly became a rollercoaster after Garret aged out - the couple was long distance for three years, (Bailey in Jacksonville, AL and Garrett in Tallahassee, FL). In 2019, they both moved to Georgia and began living together. On New Year’s Eve 2023, Bailey and Garrett got engaged and proved that the bonds formed while marching can truly withstand the test of distance, relocation, and all that comes with growing up.
Ian Bowie (Mellophone, 2016-18) and Tori Lewis (Guard, 2018-19) met through a mutual friend (Rebecca, also a Spirit Color guard alumni) almost a whole year before they set foot on the field together in 2018. The two shared many meal times during camps and spring training, and both knew right away there was a spark, although they denied it to anyone who asked. Over that summer, they would sit by each other during morning stretch, and catch up on their days after ensemble. They would also spend every free day together. The summer eventually came to an end, but they decided to make things official very soon after spending all that time together. Fast forward six years, and now (in 2024) are just weeks away from getting married and becoming seat partners for life.
Spirit of Atlanta continues to be a place where enduring friendships and meaningful relationships flourish, shaping the essence of the corps from its inception in 1976 to the present day. The stories of these remarkable couples, who bonded over peanut butter & jelly, laundromats, and a shared passion for music while performing at the highest level, highlight the invaluable relationships that form the foundation of the Spirit Family. While celebrating these deep connections, an invitation is extended to join the Delta Club and contribute to the longevity of the drum corps. With continued support, future generations can cultivate lifelong connections and create lasting memories on their life-changing journey through a season of drum corps.