From time to time, we’ve spotlighted the Green Bay Packer Band, which used to play at all home games. Above, we see them set up in their spot along the sideline in an undated photo. They would play when the Packers kicked off, and other times through the game.
Wilner Burke was the Packer Band director from 1938-1981. He never missed a rehearsal or performance with the Packer band over 44 seasons. Burke arranged pre-game and halftime entertainment as the Packer band director. In 1938, Packer president Lee Joannes asked Wilner Burke to form an official Green Bay Packer band. Burke asked many musicians from the Green Bay area to join and continued to use the name “Lumberjack Band.” During the Lombardi Era, Burke was asked to discard the Lumberjack theme.
In the Packers’ formative years, teams of children had played football at the half. As television increased the emphasis on halftime shows, Burke recruited high school and college marching bands to perform. Sadly, the Packer Band was phased out in the late 1980’s or early 1990’s and replaced with recorded music.
