JT Cadet Band 1957-1964
East Campus 1964-1980

Marshall Erickson served as Joliet East High School’s first band director, serving from its opening in 1964 until 1980. Mr. Erickson graduated in 1948 from Waukegan Township High School. He received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education from the University of Illinois, attending 1948-1953. He performed in the U.S. Air Force Band at Lowery Air Force Base in Colorado from 1953-1957. He taught music in Hoopeston, Illinois in 1957 before leading Joliet Township High School’s Cadet Band from 1957 to 1964. During his tenure, he took the Cadet Band to New York where they performed with the Concert Band. He started Joliet East High School’s band in 1964 with girls in the band. The first band had about 40 members. Throughout the years, the Marching Kingsmen were invited to perform in nearly every state and in Canada. The band took two trips to Denver and played at Disneyland five times. The band also led the Lions National Convention parade in San Francisco. The band won the last Riverview Parade contest just before Riverview closed. Mr. Erickson retired on Jan.1, 1987 and moved to Montana in 1996. There, he was a board member and emergency conductor for the Bozeman Municipal Band. In 2011, he was vice president of the Bozeman Federation of Musicians.