John Philip Sousa (1854-1932),
American composer and bandmaster, known as the "March
King" for the many marches he composed. In 1880 he enlisted in the
Marine Corps and directed its
band for the next twelve years, making it into one of the finest in the
world.
Following his
discharge he formed his own
group, "Sousa's
Band," a carefully selected
group of musicians equally skilled in both military and symphonic music, who rapidly became famous throughout Europe and America. Sousa composed 136 marches including the
Marine Corps' march "Semper Fidelis" (Always Faithful), 11 operettas, more than 70 songs and numerous other pieces. In the 1890s he redeveloped a
type of bass tuba made to his specifications and which was eventually called the sousaphone.