Connecticut's Fife & Drum Tradition is the first full account of this beloved American music tradition in Connecticut, home to an extensive and active community of fife and drum groups.

Originating in small military bands maintained by standing armies in Britain and Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries, the drum was especially important in training soldiers to march and as a means of communication on the battlefield.

The fife and drum provided essential music accompaniment to American history, beginning in the colonial era, for both official military use and for community entertainment. Military use of the instruments declined after the Civil War, but community fife and drum corps, along with the increasing virtuosity of some players, gave the instruments a second life.

Today, the fife and drum tradition is most popular in the New England states, and in Switzerland. Contemporary fifers and drummers gather at conventions called "musters," which often include a public parade or concert.

In his book, musician James Clark details the colorful history of this unique music. He talks about individual instruments, folk song traditions, biographies of past musicians, and note-worthy events, such as Deep River's 1976 muster, which, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, was the largest muster ever held.

Connecticut's Fife & Drum Tradition has dozens of photographs and historic illustrations depicting the tradition from medieval Europe to contemporary Connecticut. The book is a resource for students of percussion instruments and military music. It is also a fascinating read for anyone interested in local history or arts and crafts in New England.

This is one of five books in The Driftless Connecticut Series, a publication award program established in 2010 and funded by the Beatrice Fox Auerbach Foundation Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.

Jim Clark is a founding member of the Connecticut Valley Field Music, a fife and drum band based in Middletown. A true advocate of this music, Clark gives lectures and demonstrations to a wide array of audiences around the state, across the nation and in Europe.