Suncoast Sound Drum and Bugle Corps

Sources:[2][3]

Suncoast Sound was founded in 1979 to allow more marching opportunities than afforded by Largo High School's Band of Gold, which had won the 1978 World Marching Band Championships in Europe. At the invitation of Queen Elizabeth, the new corps performed its first show in England for the Royal Court in place of the Band of Gold. Because of its European trip, the corps competed in only one other show before entering the DCI World Championships in Birmingham, Alabama, where it placed 40th of 43 corps.

Over the next few seasons, the corps improved each year, placing 30th in 1980, 21st in 1981, and 13th in 1982. In 1983, Suncoast won the Drum Corps South circuit championship and earned its first DCI Finals appearance, finishing in 6th place in Miami. The corps remained a DCI Finalist for the next six years with shows performed in their style known as "Sunjazz.". In 1985, Suncoast became the first DCI corps to perform an original musical program written for the corps, "Florida Suite" by Robert W. Smith, the first of three shows Smith wrote for the unit. However, the corps' expenses had consistently exceeded the funding raised by its bingo hall, and following the 1989 season, Suncoast Sound left the competition field in order to try to stabilize its finances. For the next two years, the organization was represented by two local parade and exhibition groups, the Suncoast Sound Cadets and the alumni Suncoast Gold.

After a two year hiatus, Suncoast Sound returned to competition in 1992, fielding a Division III (up to 60 members) corps, placing 5th of 28 corps that season in Whitewater, Wisconsin and 6th of 21 the following year in Jackson, Mississippi. In 1994, the corps moved to Division II, finishing 5th of 18 corps in Lowell, Massachusetts. In 1995, Suncoast again fielded a Division III corps, but by July 6, in New Brunswick, New Jersey, after only three shows, the staff realized that sufficient funds were not available to complete the season, and the corps returned to Florida, with many of the members finding places in other corps.

In 1997 several staff members from the post-1989 years attempted to field a Division III corps named Synergy Sound, but its only scheduled competition was rained out, and Suncoast Sound became a part of drum corps history.

Source:[4]

Gold background indicates DCI Championship; pale blue background indicates DCI Class Finalist; pale green background indicates DCI semifinalist.;

• Drum Corps International