Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, June 24, 1993                   TAG: 9306240312
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: CHARLES STEBBINS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

SALEM DRUMMERS SNARE TV SHOT

Ten of the section's members are scheduled to be in a "Faces" spot July 30 on the ABC show "Good Morning, America." The show airs 7 to 9 a.m.

Taping for the segment was done Wednesday at Salem Stadium. Nine drummers and one cymbalist went through their paces for a camera crew from Channel 13, the ABC affiliate in the Roanoke-Lynchburg market.

The drummers performed two lively drum cadences titled "Go-Go" and "Chumpa." Drum captain Faisal Khan has his moment of glory when he chants, "I'm Faisal Khan, drum captain of the pride of Salem from Salem, Va." Then all members of the group join him with "Good Morning, America."

They were dressed in uniforms of maroon jackets and white pants, with silver helmets at their feet.

After going through the routine dozens of times to satisfy the camera crew, Khan said he did not find it nerve-wracking.

"It was fun," he said. "I was not nervous at all."

Mark Hyatt, senior producer-promotions for Channel 13, said the spot will last about 12 seconds on the national show.

When asked how the Salem drummers were selected for a national TV show, Salem High's band director Dennis Reaser said, "I like to say that we have one really great drum section."

But Reaser gave most of the credit to Mary Loritsch, mother of one of the drummers and chairwoman of publicity and promotion for the Salem High Band Boosters.

Loritsch said her original intent was to draw attention to the Summer Music Games of Southwest Virginia, which will be Aug. 3 at Salem Stadium.

In seeking mention of that show, Loritsch said, she called her friend Hyatt at Channel 13 and suggested a drum section performance as an example of what would be included in the August show.

"Good Morning, America" producers at ABC said it would violate their policy to promote the August show, she said. But they liked the idea of a drum performance for a "Faces" spot.

The drum section has 22 drummers but ABC policy limits "Faces" groups to 10.

Besides Khan, those appearing in the spot are Chris Cerak, Todd Loritsch, Jeff Brunk, Angie Collins, Greg Harrison, David Taylor, Andrew Bailey, Rodney Blevins and Matt Oeflein.