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The Maryland Curiosity Bureau

Who Are The Marching Ravens?

Band President John Ziemann leads the way for Baltimore's Marching Ravens (photo c/o The Baltimore Ravens)
Band President John Ziemann leads the way for Baltimore's Marching Ravens (photo c/o The Baltimore Ravens)

It’s a not-so-secret weapon that gives The Ravens their home field advantage: Baltimore’s Marching Ravens are a massive musical hype machine that brings hometown crowds to their feet with the Ravens Fight Song. They’re more than a hundred members strong. Their halftime show is a spectacle of uniform precision. And their musicianship is awe-inspiring. But who are these people? How did this band come to be? And is it true that they helped save football in Baltimore?

This episode, we meet:

Band President John Ziemann

Music Director Dan Fake

Band members Nathan Beans, Gigi Kwik Gronvall, Kim Smith, and Brooke Coleman

Aaron creates and produces original radio programs and podcasts for WYPR. His current project is The Maryland Curiosity Bureau. Aaron's neighborhood documentary series, Out of the Blocks, earned the 2018 national Edward R Murrow Award. His past work includes the long-running weekly cultural program, The Signal, and the Smithsonian Folkways Recordings series, Tapestry of the Times. Aaron's stories have aired nationally on NPR's Morning Edition and All Things Considered.