Recorded by Don Covington, WJU #119. Click here for an article about the music played for the 1986 Carson Barnes Circus and the members in the band.
1986 Carson Barnes Circus Band. The recording was made on May 5, 1986 in Lake Elsinore, California by Don Covington (WJU #119) who was sitting in with the band. A sharp-eyed observer might notice Don as a ringer in the photo. The picture was taken when he was visiting the show and sitting in with Charlie Stevenson’s band. He followed the show when it was in Southern California for a week or so in 1986. He made the recording when he was there.
The photo was shot by Bill Biggerstaff, who was on the lot taking photos to be used for publicity. Bill came over from Las Vegas during the time that Don was with the show. The band picture turned up in the C&B program and route book that year and reappeared as the “official” band photo in programs for several years thereafter. By that time, the personnel in the band had turned over several times, with the exception of band leader Charlie Stevenson and drummer “Buckles” Perales… and that piccolo player (Don Covington) was back flying airplanes for the Navy.