Bristol County Fifes & Drums

2000: The year of Big Brother, OG Britney Spears, chunky Nokia phones, and when everyone thought the world would end. But the world didn’t end. Y2K hysteria came and went, and with it, birthed a new concept for Seekonk; a concept that was actually quite “historical.” Two mothers decided to start a fife and drum corps in January of that year with the intention of marching in the Seekonk Memorial Day Parade… And the idea behind the Yankee Volunteers was officially born.

Sharon Clarke, the main brainchild of the fife and drum corps asked her friend, Jenay Evans, a flutist and mom, to help teach. What Sharon did NOT know was that Jenay was actually a fifer in her youth in the Village Volunteers in Delmar, NY. It seemed more and more that the stars were aligning for Seekonk’s little fife and drum corps.

At the time, eBay was still brand new. Sharon started ordering up Cooperman gift shop drums, Maple fifes, and tricorn hats. Jenay, seeing that her friend was determined to make this fife and drum corps happen, decided to get her sister, Ranee Csigay, involved, as well. Suddenly the little corps had two fife teachers.
Between the three original mothers they were able to pull in a corps of around forty to march in that first Seekonk Memorial Day Parade. They, of course, brought in their own children. The Yankee Volunteers, as they were then called, marched in front of the Aitken School float which was decorated as Washington Crossing the Delaware, with, then Principal Mr. John Kraskouskas dressed as George Washington.

The corps did not end that Memorial Day in 2000 and continues to this day. In 2016, the corps entered into a partnership with the Bristol Train of Artillery and rebranded as the Bristol County Fifes & Drums, but continues its mission to educate and perform historic music. Since then, the BCFD has toured and traveled extensively to many places including Walt Disney World, Mount Rushmore, SD, Jamestown, VA, DC, London, UK, Denver, CO, Niagara Falls, and will be performing at the Biltmore in Asheville,

NC this summer. The BCFD is unique in its founding in that it was formed by a group of women and celebrates this feminist take. Women are allowed to dress as women if they want to. It has always made the corps stand out amongst more male oriented corps. Women have always taught and held leadership positions and that definitely makes the BCFD stand out.

There are five original members from 2000 that are still active and marched in the Seekonk Memorial Day Parade, four of which are women. Two of these are the fifer sisters, Jenay Evans and Ranee Csigay. The other two are their daughters, fifer, Kara Evans and drum major, Amanda Csigay. The last original member is David Evans, captain of the musket line.

The Bristol County Fifes & Drums is a 501(C)3 and provides free music lessons for members as part of its mission to educate. If you, or someone you know is interested in learning the fife or the drum, feel free to look us up on Facebook or email bristolcountyfd@gmail.com.