1998 was a time for signifigant change with the corps. Co-founder of Lone Star and it's executive director, Robert Poulin,
stepped down, due to increasing commitments with his family and with his job as a band director. Mickey Hartzog
stepped in to fill Robert's big Canadian toque. The corps also moved to a more centralized location with Killeen.
For their show, the staff chose to do the music from musician and Entertainment Tonight Host John Tesh. The music picked was music that had been done at a concert at the Red Rocks in Colorado. The show included
Day One, Barcelona, A Thousand Summers, PS 491, and In a Child's Eyes. The show was entitled "Night of 1000 Summers."
While things initially
looked strong for the corps, problems led to a much smaller than expected corps for tour. The corps performed with a
small horn line (14) and color guard (3), yet ended up with one of the largest and most talented drumlines in Division III.
It was this drumline that carried the corps through its initial tour.
In spite of
the corps small size, they were one of the strongest and popular corps in Division III. At Prelims, the corps scored
a 87.9. The corps final performance found the corps at 7th with a score of 83.4. The corps took 3rd in percussion
performance, 5th in ensemble music, and 5th in the overall performance caption.
The corps also had
a signifigant number of members compete at I & E.
The following year
came a signifigant change in the administrative and teaching staff of the corps. This also coincided with the corps'
final move to the Houston suburb of Deer Park, under the direction of Alan Mimmsat. With the move, the corps had decided
to take a different direction with programming.
The corps initially
planned a tour for 1999. The show was to be entitiled "A Celebration of Youth". The pieces included Children's
Dance (from Merry Mount Suite), Sorcerer's Apprentice, and a Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra. Unfortunately, due
to a combination of poor winter camp attendance (at least one camp was attempted at the University of Houston) and a lack
of secure finances forced the corps to go permanently inactive.
At the time of this
writing, it is unknown what happened to the equipment belonging to the corps. It is assumed by the writer that the equipment
was sold to close any and all debts owed by the corps. Overall, it was a sad ending to one of Texas' longest lasting
junior corps. Perhaps one day in the future, the corps will make a return to the competition field.
