John Philip Sousa (SUE-za) is America's best-remembered and favorite bandmaster. He wrote more than a hundred marches that are still favorites. He is known as the "March King." We will learn the themes for Semper Fidelis and The Stars and Stripes Forever. When he was twelve, he planned to run away to join the circus. When his father found out about John's plan, he arranged for him to be an apprentice in the United States Marine Band. That kept him at home and happy. He knew how to play the violin, piano, and various wind instruments.  When he was twenty-six, he was appointed leader of the Marine Band. He turned it into a band of perfection, both in performance and in appearance.

In 1892 Sousa decided to form his own concert band. The band toured Europe four times. He played his own marches and introduced Europeans to America's ragtime music. Scott Joplin, an African American composer, developed the piano style called ragtime.

In his tours of the United States, Souza introduced people to the music of Tchaikovsky, Dvořák, Rossini, and Suppé, in addition to his own compositions.

A sousaphone is a type of tuba with a wide "bell" that can be turned to throw the sound in different directions. It was named after John Philip because it was his idea.

Sousa wrote an autobiography called Marching Along.