Band LeaderHistorian Continues to March Forward with AEF Band

By Bob Ruegsegger · Originally published November-December 2024 · pp. 64–65

Band LeaderHistorian Continues to March Forward with AEF Band By Bob Ruegsegger

Jari Villanueva served with the United States Air Band in Washington, D.C., from 1985 to 2008 as a ceremonial trumpeter, bugler, and staff arranger. While he retired from the Air Force as a master sergeant, he has no intention of ever relinquishing his love of music. Villanueva established Taps Bugler, an organization that helps provide buglers for the funerals of American veterans, during the Civil War sesquicentennial to commemorate the first sounding of Taps at Berkeley Plantation in 1863. The Federal City Brass Band was formed and led by Villanueva to share Civil War period music played with original instruments with audiences throughout the length of the sesquicentennial. In 2020, Villanueva began his association with the Doughboy Foundation. The Doughboy Foundation is the organization that oversees the National World War I Memorial in Washington, D.C. It is Washington’s newest memorial. The memorial is dedicated and pays tribute to Americans who served during World War I. Of the 4.7 million who served, 2 million were deployed to France to fight in the war. The Doughboy Foundation was set up as a nonprofit organization when the World War I Centennial Commission was created by an act of Congress to commemorate the centennial of the end of World War I in 2018. “Part of the mission for the commission was to set up a national World War I memorial because, interestingly enough, there had never been a national World War I memorial in our nation’s capital,” said Villanueva. “They went to work. A 25-year-old architectural student won the competition for the design of the memorial. He beat out over 350 applicants.” The memorial, formally dedicated in April 2021, is located on Pennsylvania Avenue between 14th and 15th streets in front of the Willard Hotel about a block and a half from the White House. “Since we started in May 2021, every single day at the memorial, there’s a bugler dressed in a World War I uniform who sounds Taps. That’s been going on for well over a thousand nights, said Villanueva. “Imagine that! We’re the only memorial that has a live bugler sound Taps in the afternoon. We do it at five o’clock.” The memorial itself is not quite finished. The last part of the tribute is a sculpture called “A Soldier’s Journey” by Sabin Howard that has been in the works for the last seven or eight years. The 58-foot-long bronze, freestanding sculpture will be placed at the end of the memorial when completed. The sculpture consists of 38 figures that tell the story of an American soldier preparing to leave for war, engaging in battle, and returning home from the conflict. Recently Band Leader Jari Villanueva organized a re-created iteration of General John “Blackjack” Pershing’s American Expeditionary Forces Headquarters Band for Jamestown’s Settlement’s annual Military Through the Ages to bring to life the popular and military

Jari Villanueva. (Bob Ruegsegger)

music of the World War I era. The AEF band replica was sponsored by the Doughboy Foundation. “Pershing was a great proponent of military music. When he became the overall commander of the American troops, he found out very quickly that the state of military music in the (American) army was pretty bad,” said Villanueva. Pershing ordered a music school set up in Chermont, France, for the training of bandmasters and musicians. He decided he was going to put together a special, elite band made up of the best musicians in the army stationed in France. He ordered that bands send their best musicians to his headquarters at Chermont where they were organized into a 100-piece band that played at ceremonies. “They were just incredible. Pershing also picked out soldiers for special units, like honor guard units. The same way you have special units in Washington, D.C. of elite troops,” said Villanueva. “Everyone had to be the same height and look good in uniform. Between the special units and the band, it proved to be a great way of showcasing the United States military might.” During military ceremonies in Chermont, the AEF Headquarters Band performed splendidly. They were regarded as the best band the U.S. Army had to offer and became known as “Pershing’s Own.” Following the war’s end, the

“Musicians don’t retire; they stop when there’s no more music in them.” – Louis Armstrong band toured the United States, often leading local Victory parades. After performing in Victory parades in New York and Washington, D.C., the band was disbanded, and the band members were discharged or returned to their units. As U.S. Army chief of staff in 1922, General Pershing Bob Ruegsegger’s assignments frequently take him to decided that there should be an elite organization in historic sites throughout Virginia, the Mid-Atlantic, and Washington representing the United States Army through the S outheast . His favorite haunts include sites within music. He issued a one-line order for the training and V irginia ’ s H istoric Triangle—Jamestown, Yorktown, and equipment of the U.S. Army Band. In that one sentence, W illiamsburg . B ob served briefly in the U.S. Navy. He the United States Army Band as we know it today was is a retired educator and has been an active newspaper born. Today’s re-created AEF band represents the legacy of journalist for over years. Pershing’s Own. “This is a great group of musicians to work with,” said Villaneuva. “It not only represents that era of musical history, but also gets the message out to everyone about what the National World War I Memorial in Washington is all about and what the Doughboy Foundation does.” The music performed by the AEF band dates from the period of 1918 to 1919. Music written prior to the war that was popular at that time is included as integral part of the band’s repertoire. The band’s uniforms are correct, and the music is appropriate to the era. The stories told through the music reflect the time period. “I’ve been blessed working with some really terrific people and fabulous musicians. My degree is in music education. I work with historians and musicologists,” said Villanueva. “This is something where I can put my love of history and music together.” “When I crossed paths with Jari, I was looking to get some sort of a brass band at Military Through the Ages, and Jari is the Gun Works, Inc. king of it all,” said Homer Lanier, director of visitor experience with the JamestownYorktown Foundation. “His passion above An American, Family-Owned Company and beyond his career in the Air Force was Dixie Gun Works is proud to be an American small business success story. From music of the past, military music of the humble beginnings in 1954, we have grown to be the largest supplier of blackpowder shooting equipment, parts, and antique guns in the past. He’s a huge John Phillip Souza fan, world, and the most trusted name in blackpowder expera George Cohan fan as well.” tise. Find everything blackpowder you need here in the Whether seated for a formal concert 2025 DIXIE GUN WORKS catalog. or moving through the MTA campsites ORDER TODAY! at Jamestown Settlements for pop-up ONLY $8.00 performances, Bandleader Jari Villanueva and the resurrected AEF Headquarters PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AND EXPERTISE GUARANTEED Band would have made General Pershing proud, delighted with the exceptional VIEW ITEMS AND ORDER ONLINE! music. www.dixiegunworks.com Major credit cards accepted “The public is enthralled with them. They look the part. They sound the part; FOR ORDERS ONLY (800) 238-6785 they are the part. They draw attention to an almost forgotten war in American history, DIXIE GUN WORKS, INC. The War to End All Wars,” observed 1412 W. Reelfoot Avenue Homer Lanier. “Jari is an expert musician, PO Box 130 Union City, TN 38281 arranger, and conductor. He really brings INFO PHONE: (731) 885-0700 FAX: (731) 885-0440 a great treat to us here at Military Through EMAIL: [email protected] the Ages, year after year.”