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Photo of John Philip Sousa By Elmer Chickering –

Top 10 Interesting Facts about John Philip Sousa

鈥淭he march king鈥� John Philip Sousa is celebrated every fourth of July through his most famous composition the iconic 鈥淪tars and Stripes Forever鈥� march that inspires patriotism in many American hearts.

John Philip Sousa was born on the 6^th of November 1854, in Washington, D.C. to a Portuguese father and a German mother. His works as a musician and composer are synonymous with many American patriotic marches.

But that鈥檚 not all he is known for, here are 10 interesting facts about the talented composer and musician john Philip Sousa

1. He organized and led his orchestra at the age of 11                               

When Sousa was 11, he organized and led his own ‘quadrille orchestra’ which was was made up of seven adult men and himself and quickly gained popularity as a dance orchestra in the Washington area.

At the same time, Sousa played the violin for Benkert’s Washington Orchestral Union, as well as performing every Tuesday evening string quartet concerts at the home of the Assistant Secretary of State William Hunter.

2. John Philip Sousa almost joined the circus

John was very good at playing the piano and most especially the violin which was the first instrument he learned when he started lessons at the age of 10.

Since he had a great passion for music and had mastered several other instruments at the age of 13, he opted to join the circus band his father intervened and enlisted him to become an apprentice of the Marine as a musician鈥檚 boy.

3. Sousa had a connection to music and the marine band through his father John Antonio Sousa

Photo of young John Philip Sousa By Bain News Service, publisher – Library of Congress –

 John Philip was the third of 10 children of John Antonio Sousa. Antonio Sousa was a member of the US Marine Band himself where he played the trombone. He was retired in 1879 with the rank of first-class.

Antonio Sousa raised his family close to the Marine Barracks in Washington. It was through this connection that Antonio Sousa was able to enlist John into the Marine band.

4. He headed the Marine Band for the first phonograph recording

The Columbia Phonograph Company was looking to put out a recording and picked out the Marine Band with Sousa directing it using new titular technology. The first recordings were released in 1890, and over 400 works written by Sousa could be purchased afterword鈥檚 increasing his popularity.

This also made the Marine Band become one of the first universal recording stars. In this period, he composed 136 remarkable military marches with amazing rhythmic and instrumental effects including the 鈥淓l Captain鈥�, 鈥淲ashington Post鈥�, 鈥淪emper Fidelis鈥� and 鈥淟iberty Bell鈥�, 鈥淭he Daughters of Texas鈥� among many with his most famous being the 鈥淪tars and The Stripes Forever鈥� in 1897.

5. John Sousa helped compose the incidental music for a musical

Due to his history with theater and Orchestra, Sousa composed the incidental music and the march for 鈥淥ur Flirtations鈥� a musical comedy first produced in Philadelphia in 1880 and was dedicated to Henry L West who was a staff member from the Washington Post newspaper.

Sousa then continued to tour with the production.

6. Sousa started an important annual tour tradition

Annual memorial observances at the grave of John Philip Sousa in 2017 by By U.S. Government –

Sousa engineered the Marine Bands’ first marching band tour which was authorized by President Benjamin Harrison in 1891, and this started the annual tour tradition of the Marine band.  The tour continued through the years and was only suspended during the world war.

7. His popular nickname 鈥淭he March King鈥� was given by a British journalist

The march 鈥淭he Washington Post鈥�, written in 1889 by Sousa was originally written to promote an essay contest by the Washington Post newspaper as requested by the Washington Post newspaper. It garnered immense popularity and was adopted by the two-step dance. This attention led a popular British journalist to dub Sousa 鈥淭he March King鈥�

8. John Philip Sousa contributed to the world war despite his age

When the US had declared war on Germany in 1917 at the start of the world war, John Sousa joined Naval Reserve. He was 62 years old which was the mandatory retirement age for navy officers. He continued active duty till November 1918, when he was discharged. He continued to wear his Naval uniform even after he was discharged and wore it as he led his band in concerts and public appearances.

John Philip Sousa performing with his newly formed civilian band 1893 –

9. John Sousa鈥檚 baton has been passed down

John Philip Sousa By Aim茅 Dupont –

Upon the retirement of John Sousa from his post as the conductor of the Marine Band, he was gifted an engraved baton as a token of their respect and esteem by his fellow musicians in 1892.

His daughters Jane Priscilla Sousa and Helen Sousa Abert gave the baton back to the band in 1953. since then it has been passed down to each new leader of the band. It is now presented to each incoming director at the change of command ceremonies.

10. Sousa received widespread recognition, honors, and accolades

Sousa was a legendary patriot and musician as well and widely recognized during his lifetime and after his passing in 1932. He was honored with many accolades and diverse tributes such as;

• The Pennsylvania avenue bridge spanning the Anacostia River in Washington was dedicated to him in December 1939
• In 1974 the marine band renamed its hall of barracks the John Philip Sousa band hall
• He was added to the hall of fame for great Americans in 1976
• The stars and stripes forever which he composed was made the United States national march in 1987
• In 2004 the 33^rd commandant of the marine corps General Michael Hagee named the new band hall at the marine barracks annex after john in honor of his 150th birthday and in November 2005 he revealed an 8-foot bronze statue of Sousa outside the band hall

His exuberance and patriotism, his joy in the possibilities in music and entertainment, and his originality were in step with the times. His musical career has been inspirational and his legacy continues through the marches he did and those that continue to be done years later.

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