Pella Regional Health Center Foundation’s Hearts for Hospice fundraiser on Saturday featured the Sully Big Band performing tunes that fit the Big Band era and theme of the event. Sully resident Jeff Corbett is a member of the band.
After a five-year pause, Pella Regional Health Center Foundation’s Hearts for Hospice fundraiser drew hundreds of people coming together to support the compassionate work of hospice care on Saturday, Feb. 22, at the iconic Pella Opera House.
The event – Big Band, Big Hearts, Big Impact – featured a Big Band theme inspired by the 1940s dinner club atmosphere with guests matching the mood with elegant attire.
The evening of music and community also featured a lively performance by the Sully Big Band whose repertoire includes popular tunes from the Big Band era, fitting the theme perfectly. For members of the Sully Big Band, playing at an event geared to raising money for hospice care struck the right chord with the band’s roots as well.
The Sully Big Band was founded by the late Don Musgrove. Musgrove served as band director at Lynnville-Sully from 1958-1974, and he remained a strong supporter of area musicians and the fine arts. His wit, charm, and ability to bring music to the forefront was contagious as he built a strong core of instrumentalists in the Sully Big Band who shared his love for music.
Back when Musgrove left his perch as band director at L-S, he turned over the duties to Steve McCombs. McCombs said, “I had just graduated from Central College, and Don was an excellent mentor for me during the three years I taught there. He stayed a big supporter of the band program for years after his retirement from teaching. I never really lost contact with Don. When I moved back to Pella, it gave me a chance to reconnect.”
That connection led to McCombs becoming Don’s right hand man with the Sully Big Band. “At some point I was asked to play with the band, and later Don started relying on me to help with the inner workings of the band – booking the band, finding available musicians, payroll,” said McCombs who joked the band seldom makes any money.
“He knew there would be a day when he would no longer have the energy to manage the band, and I could see that it was my turn to follow his lead again.”
Membership of the band has fluctuated over the years. Originally, the group consisted of
L-S graduates and local musicians but as people moved in and out of the area, the range of members widened to meet the demands of an active performance schedule. Those performances have included gigs at area care facilities, Van Wijk Winery, Sully’s Central Park Bandstand, RAGBRAI, Pella Historical Center, Tamory Hall for Pella’s Kerstmarkt, summer concerts, weddings, Tulip Time, various conventions for well-known organizations such as Lions Clubs and Iowa Rural Letter Carriers, and more.
Today, the Sully Big Band consists of musicians from the Lynnville-Sully area as well as regulars from Pella, Oskaloosa, Newton, Grinnell, Belle Plaine, Eddyville, and Brooklyn. Area musicians have subbed for the band when needed, and McCombs said very talented high school students have also bolstered the performances. Their most receptive audiences are those from care facilities who have fond memories of the popular tunes the Sully Big Band specializes in.
When the Sully Big Band was asked to perform at Hearts for Hospice, the group jumped at the opportunity. The event theme was a perfect fit, and the cause was even better. Musgrove spent his final hours at the Pella Comfort House in June of 2023. Musgrove’s wife, Audrey, was in attendance Saturday and was recognized during the performance. The Sully Big Band also honored the late Guy Blair with their performance. Blair was another powerful name and made an impact in the band community. He served as Pella Community High School’s award-winning band director for 32 years and remained very active and devoted to music education in his retirement. Blair passed away in 2024 after a brief battle with an aggressive cancer. Saturday’s tribute to Blair was highlighted with several of his family members and former colleagues playing with the Sully Big Band.
“The band was very honored to play for such an important event and pay tribute to Guy Blair’s memory as well as the memory of Don Musgrove,” said McCombs.
Representing the Sully Big Band at the successful Hearts for Hospice event included the following: Emcee Dick Redman of Pella; saxophones – Scott Cressley of Oskaloosa, Dameon Place of Pella, Kevin Arnold of Eddyville, Barbara Boertje DeVries of Pella, and Rachael Stratton of Pella; trumpets – Rod Carlson of Grinnell, Jim Beerends of Newton, Jack Schlesselman of Belle Plaine, and Brenna Blair Hyatt, Guy Blair’s daughter, of St. Louis; trombones – Rob Hyatt, Guy Blair’s son-in-law, of St. Louis, Jeff Corbett of Sully, Ken De Vos of Pella, and Doug Roorda of Pella; rhythm – Lindsy Brant, Guy Blair’s daughter, from Pella on piano, Ean Stark from Pella playing guitar, Sam Nau from Pella playing bass, and McCombs also from Pella on the drums.
The Sully Big Band will be going back to their roots for their next performance on Saturday, Mar. 1, at Lynnville-Sully’s Variety Show. The Variety Show starts at 7 p.m. in the high school gym. If the boy’s basketball team is playing in the substate game Saturday evening, the Variety Show will be rescheduled.
