Baden Rube Band Update

Contributed by Richard Simpson

View the pictures that accompanied this update.

Read some Rube Band History

The Baden Rube Band began as a typical Drum & Bugle Band 45 years ago. It made the transition to Hill-Billy Show Band (which is where the term "Rube" came from), & came to a close as an German Band in 1993 when it disbanded, due to the closure of CFB Baden. The CFE Pipes & Drums came in about 1983. The band was made up of members of the Canadian Military in Baden & Lahr, Dependants, as well as German Nationals. The Band Masters were generally Canadian Forces Musicians, except for the last one, who was from the Salvation Army.

Many stories, ranging from good clean fun to pure raunch, have come out over the years. Many of these were repeated during the first Baden Rube Band Reunion in 1991, in Ottawa, Ontario.

The tradition has been kept alive in Ottawa, through the Ottawa Rube Band, since 1992. The band plays in the same spirit as the former, including two pipers & hosted the second Baden Rube Band Reunion in 1995. There are plans for a third Reunion in 2000, in Hugelsheim, Germany.

The current band not only plays Volksmarches & Oktoberfests in & around Ottawa, but regularly includes other annual events like "Mississippi River Days" in Carlton Place, Ontario, the "Multicultural Fest" in Cornwall, Ontario, the "Franktown Lilac Festival" in Franktown, Ontario, & the "Gloucester Fair" at the Rideau Carlton Raceway.