Memorial Day

The powerful sound of a bugler playing “Taps” is a call to remember those who gave their lives in the service of the United States.

Join WRTI on Memorial Day as we mark the occasion and honor those who serve with a line-up of American music and local artists you won’t want to miss!

May 18, 2020. The Airmen of Note are at it again—this time as the historic band celebrates 70 years of dazzling audiences worldwide with the commemorative release, Air Power. Be it live tour performances or special broadcasts, The United States Air Force Band's big band jazz ensemble continues to make its music accessible to everyone.

May 20, 2019. The Airmen of Note is the award-winning jazz ensemble of the U.S. Air Force Band. With Global Reach, their fourth new album in as many years, the ‘Note’ truly goes global, featuring arrangements of traditional Irish and Korean folk tunes, along with breezy, beachy sambas, and—just for good measure—a Beatles cover.

Classical music on WRTI’s Memorial Day Weekend looks back and moves forward! Of course we'll have American and other classical favorites all weekend long as we remember the meaning of Memorial Day. But we’ll also hear new works of remembrance.

The military band tradition in the U.S. dates back to the 18th century. The number of bands, type of instruments, styles of music, and audiences reached have grown immensely since those early drum-and-bugle days.

This Memorial Day, from 6 am to 6 pm, WRTI presents the music of today's military bands, including the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, and Navy. These bands each have a wide variety of configurations that provide the country with music ranging from classical to jazz to country. And let's not forget marches!