Longtime Ravens Marching Band Holding Open Tryouts

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- They've been around nearly 70 years, and they're a beloved part of Baltimore. You see them every Sunday at Ravens home games.

Ron Matz reports now you have a chance to become a member of the Baltimore Marching Ravens.

They were born in 1947, then the Baltimore Colts Band.

Sixty-nine years later, the Baltimore Marching Ravens continue a rich tradition. They've been a part of us even when we didn't have a team.

"In 1984 we lost the team, again, and they went to Indianapolis. The band stayed together 11 years without the team doing professional football games," said John Ziemann, President of the Baltimore Marching Ravens. "We did 30 NFL halftime shows in that time."

Saturday at M&T Bank Stadium you can audition to become a member of this proud organization.

Alto sax player Akeem Harris, who started in 1996, says he loves it.

"Its amazing, I love game days," said Harris. "I've seen the ups and the downs, I've seen when the team first started out, I've been through both Super Bowls, and It's been a definite thrill ride. I hope to continue doing it."

Barry Levinson made a movie for ESPN about this special group of musicians. Its called "The Band That Wouldn't Die."

"The movie he did about the band has grown legs. It's on Netflix. It's never been taken off. And then out of 400 of the ESPN movies made, we are number five," said Ziemann.

And number one in our hearts--a love affair between a band and its city.

"The band members, the people that stayed together. There's people there 11 years without a team. Like David Modell always said: only in Baltimore," Ziemann said.

All applicants for the Baltimore Marching Ravens must be at least 18 years old and have a background in reading music and marching.

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