Recorded at th 4 p.m. performance on October 27, 1977 by Charlie Bennett (WJU #1) when Circus Vargas came to Springfield, MO. Jim Gibson was the bandleader and WJU member Jay Kahn (WJU #583) was playing trombone. The reel-to-reel tape was digitized to mp3 format in June 2023 by Eric Beheim (WJU #66.)
Clifford E. Vargas (1924–1989) founded Circus Vargas in 1969. Vargas was influenced to restart the big top tent circus from his childhood fascination with glamour and thrills of old circuses. He was a frequent spectator with big top tent circuses that visited his hometown of Livermore, CA every year. Vargas, the son of Portuguese immigrants, grew up on a farm near Livermore. He got a job in Chicago as the ticket seller, doorman and later ringmaster. In 1972 Vargas purchased controlling interest in the Miller-Johnson Circus. The show was small to start, but grew. Circus Vargas at its peak was using the largest circus tent, the size of a football field, which took thirty men seven hours to raise.
Solo Cornets: Jim Gibson and Bill Reichenbach; 1st Cornet: Charles Fardella; Tuba: Ed Firth; Trombones: Bill Holbert and Jay Kahn (WJU #583), Drums: Rita Murphy; Percussion: Dave Murphy; Clarinet/Sax: Jeanne Gibson; Piccolo/Sax Dave Cowdin.
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