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Farmers BBQ Entertainment
Unpublished Tribune photo from June 24, 1957
Farmers BBQ Entertainment
Unpublished Tribune photo from June 24, 1957
The musical comedy routine by Frank Piersol and Bob McCowen of the ISC Music Department was part of the Sunday afternoon entertainment for the 1957 Farmers Bar-B-Que held at the Izaak Walton League Park. Over 1,500 pounds of barbecued beef and 845 pounds of potato salad were consumed “after church” by the largest crowd ever to attend the annual Chamber of Commerce event. The Ames Municipal Band is seated ready to play at left, and Bandmaster Richard Day is nearly hidden seated behind the smiling tenor sax player. The prizes to be given away that afternoon are visible at right behind the Chamber of Commerce representative wearing the paper hat that proclaims, You'll Like Ames!
Jon Piersol says:
During the time that Dad was the band director
at West Waterloo High School (1941-48), he became good friends with his
colleague, the high school choral director, Bob McCowan. Together they
formed a barbershop quartet, called the "Westerners," with other high school
teachers at West Waterloo, including the wrestling coach and the shop teacher.
They soon became quiet active in the area, providing a "gay-nineties" style
of entertainment, and they acquired some considerable public visibility
over the years. Part of their success was the great deal of humor they
included along with the musical presentations, as well as the obvious fact
that they were all good friends, as well as colleagues.
Through an interesting coincidence, both Dad and Bob McCowan were later hired for the faculty of Iowa State University, as band director and choral director, respectively. There they frequently performed together, using a similar approach and some of the same musical material from the group in Waterloo. Their presentations (always without the need for written music) included Dad accompanying Bob McCowan, who had a wonderful voice, piano and vocal duets, as well as a large dose of humor, with a constant "patter" of jokes and commentary. As close friends, fine musicians, and outgoing entertainers, they received a great deal of fun and satisfaction from this activity, until brought to an untimely end by Professor McCowan's untimely death.
| Ames Daily
Tribune, June 18, 1957
A final committee meeting to plan Farmers Bar-B-Que was held Monday afternoon, and all was reported ready for the event to be held this coming Sunday afternoon at the Izaak Walton League Park northeast of Ames. The Ames Chamber of Commerce sponsors the annual picnic. Eddie Wixon, manager of the C of C, said so far about 1,000 farmers have registered to attend. Farmers can pick up tickets from any chamber member and take them to the chamber office, 505 Kellogg Ave., to have them validated. Office hours are 8-5 weekdays and 8-12 Saturdays. The facilities of the Ikes park will be open to those attending the barbecue. In case of rain the picnic will be held in the Iowa State College Armory. The menu includes barbecued beef, beans, potato salad, coffee, ice cream, milk and ice water. Serving will begin at noon, and the program will continue through the afternoon. There will also be a drawing for prizes. Entertainment for the day includes the Story County Rural Women's Chorus; Frank Piersol and Bob McCowen, Music Dept., Iowa State College; Louis Thompson J. and Ames Municipal Band. |
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| Ames Daily
Tribune, June 21, 1957
The annual Farmers Bar-B-Que will be held in the Iowa State College armory in case of rain Sunday, according to Eddie Wixon, general manager of the Ames Chamber of Commerce. The picnic is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at the Izaak Walton League park north and east of Ames. Final announcement of where the barbecue is to be held will be announced over radio KASI. |
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| 3000 AT BARBECUE - the largest crowd ever to attend the annual Farmers Bar-B-Que congregated at the Izaak Walton League Park Sunday afternoon. More than 3,000 persons ate 1,500 pounds of barbecued beef and 845 pounds of potato salad. This is a view of the crowd that watched the progam. The Story County Women's Chorus was singing when this picture was taken. The picnic was sponsored by the Ames Chamber of Commerce. |
 This enlarged portion of the previous photo shows the Story County Women's Chorus. Mr. Richard Day, director of the Ames Municipal Band, can be seen seated next to the accompanist. |
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| PRIZES DRAWN - Willis Peake conducted the drawing for prizes Sunday afternoon at the annual Farmers Bar-B-Que. Some 42 prizes were distributed in the drawing that ended the afternoon's festivities sponsored by the Ames Chamber of Commerce. |
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| 1966 ISU
Bomb, page 109
“Frank Piersol, long-time ISU band director is often called on to direct at many state music festivals because of his well-known work with bands. Five Bands Provide ISU With Variety of Sounds. A pair of stage bands and a batch of small ensembles joined the Iowa State family of bands this year. The stage bands are 16-piece dance band ensembles, performing arrangements of "pop" tunes for banquets, festivals, concerts, and radio and television programs. The crimson-blazered groups plan to do some touring in the '66-67 season. The small ensembles have three to six players apiece performing with brass, woodwinds and percussion and find their niche at programs, recitals and broadcasts. Another new touch this year was the Marching Band's "Uncle Frank" sweatshirts, "Uncle Frank" being Frank Piersol, the director of bands. Which explains the looks of bewilderment on several faces — most people, we guess, just naturally associate Beethoven with sweatshirts. We're glad to see "Uncle Frank" has Arrived. The 4 o'clock concert band was one of several groups to perform at Club 2000. Their program varied from light marches to some strange sounding contemporary works. Every once in a while they even included some of that long-hair classical-type music. |
| Robert McCowen's untimely demise in the mid-1960s brought an end to the long-running McCowen/Piersol musical comedy act. Frank Piersol's recent death was reported in the Tribune. |
| Tribune,
February 25, 2010
Frank A. Piersol, 98, longtime resident of Iowa City, died Friday, Feb. 19, 2010 Frank was born Oct. 27, 1911, in Clarkfield, Minn., the son of George and Jessie (Peterson) Piersol. He graduated from Rockwell High School in Rockwell, Grinnell College in 1933, and later earned a master’s degree from the University of Iowa in 1943. He began his long and distinguished career in music as band director at high schools in Stanley, Maynard, Osage, and Waterloo West before joining the faculty at Iowa State University in 1944. Professor Piersol was the director of bands at ISU until accepting the same position at the University of Iowa in 1967. After retiring from the University of Iowa in 1980, he continued to serve as band director of the Cedar Rapids Municipal Band, a position he held for 22 years from 1971 to 1993. He had a very long and notable career of accomplishments and recognitions, including the Cardinal Key from ISU, the Distinguished Service award from the Iowa Music Educators Association, the Edwin Franko Goldman Award from the American School Band Directors Association, the Karl King Distinguished Service Award from the Iowa Bandmasters Association and the National Federation Interscholastic Music Association Award. He served as president of the College Band Directors National Association, the Iowa Bandmasters Association and the Iowa Music Educators Association. In 1958, he was selected for membership in the American Bandmasters Association and served on its board of directors. He was a guest conductor, lecturer and judge for festivals, contests and music camps in 40 states, Europe, Canada and Mexico, and published more than 90 works of music and a series of concert marches. He was a longtime member of the Iowa City Noon Rotary Club, serving for years as song leader and a term as president. On June 22, 1935, Frank Piersol married Zaida Mae Kernahan in Mount Vernon. The couple shared more than 60 years of marriage. |