Mike Leckrone’s myriad civic, music, and academic recognitions include Outstanding Educator of America by the Outstanding Americans Foundation, Citation of Excellence by the National Band Association, John Bascom Professorship by the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Hometown Hero Award by the Wisconsin State Assembly, and induction into the Wisconsin Hockey Hall of Fame and the Wisconsin Football Hall of Fame.Doug Moe is one of Wisconsin’s best-known journalists and nonfiction authors. A former editor of Madison Magazine, he wrote a daily newspaper column in Madison for two decades and has published more than a dozen books, including Tommy: My Journey of a Lifetime (a collaboration with Tommy G. Thompson) and The Right Thing to Do: Kit Saunders-Nordeen and the Rise of Women’s Intercollegiate Athletics at the University of Wisconsin and Beyond.

• Foreword by Pat Richter1 Roses2 Beginnings and Butler3 Wisconsin4 New Ventures5 Giving Back6 Football Fizzles but the Band Plays On7 If You Want to Be a Badger8 Momentum and Loss9 Riding High10 Milestones and Missteps11 Matters of the Heart12 Stepping Away13 Moments of HappinessAcknowledgments

“Before I arrived in Madison, I had never coached at a school where people talked about the band—where the band played a part in everything. It was strange at first, but I soon came to have great respect for Mike Leckrone and what he accomplished. I witnessed how important the band was, not just to the athletic department but to the entire university. That doesn’t come easily. This book reveals just how hard Mike asked his bands to work, as well as the fun they had along the way.”—Barry Alvarez, legendary University of Wisconsin head football coach and director of athletics, and member of the College Football Hall of Fame“Mike Leckrone led the Wisconsin Band and served as an ambassador for the University of Wisconsin for a half century. He is a music legend and there is no one better to help tell his story than Doug Moe, who has chronicled so much of the history of Madison and the state of Wisconsin. This is the tale of an unforgettable life.”—Christopher McIntosh, University of Wisconsin director of athletics and member of the UW Athletic Hall of Fame “Leckrone and Moe take their readers on a fascinating journey. Reading this book is like sitting down over several cups of coffee with Leckrone and hearing him tell stories about his life and career. I could not put it down!”—Terry Austin, past president, American Bandmasters Association

Mike Leckrone’s myriad civic, music, and academic recognitions include Outstanding Educator of America by the Outstanding Americans Foundation, Citation of Excellence by the National Band Association, John Bascom Professorship by the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Hometown Hero Award by the Wisconsin State Assembly, and induction into the Wisconsin Hockey Hall of Fame and the Wisconsin Football Hall of Fame.Doug Moe is one of Wisconsin’s best-known journalists and nonfiction authors. A former editor of Madison Magazine, he wrote a daily newspaper column in Madison for two decades and has published more than a dozen books, including Tommy: My Journey of a Lifetime (a collaboration with Tommy G. Thompson) and The Right Thing to Do: Kit Saunders-Nordeen and the Rise of Women’s Intercollegiate Athletics at the University of Wisconsin and Beyond.

• Foreword by Pat Richter1 Roses2 Beginnings and Butler3 Wisconsin4 New Ventures5 Giving Back6 Football Fizzles but the Band Plays On7 If You Want to Be a Badger8 Momentum and Loss9 Riding High10 Milestones and Missteps11 Matters of the Heart12 Stepping Away13 Moments of HappinessAcknowledgments

“Before I arrived in Madison, I had never coached at a school where people talked about the band—where the band played a part in everything. It was strange at first, but I soon came to have great respect for Mike Leckrone and what he accomplished. I witnessed how important the band was, not just to the athletic department but to the entire university. That doesn’t come easily. This book reveals just how hard Mike asked his bands to work, as well as the fun they had along the way.”—Barry Alvarez, legendary University of Wisconsin head football coach and director of athletics, and member of the College Football Hall of Fame“Mike Leckrone led the Wisconsin Band and served as an ambassador for the University of Wisconsin for a half century. He is a music legend and there is no one better to help tell his story than Doug Moe, who has chronicled so much of the history of Madison and the state of Wisconsin. This is the tale of an unforgettable life.”—Christopher McIntosh, University of Wisconsin director of athletics and member of the UW Athletic Hall of Fame “Leckrone and Moe take their readers on a fascinating journey. Reading this book is like sitting down over several cups of coffee with Leckrone and hearing him tell stories about his life and career. I could not put it down!”—Terry Austin, past president, American Bandmasters Association

Mike Leckrone’s myriad civic, music, and academic recognitions include Outstanding Educator of America by the Outstanding Americans Foundation, Citation of Excellence by the National Band Association, John Bascom Professorship by the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Hometown Hero Award by the Wisconsin State Assembly, and induction into the Wisconsin Hockey Hall of Fame and the Wisconsin Football Hall of Fame.Doug Moe is one of Wisconsin’s best-known journalists and nonfiction authors. A former editor of Madison Magazine, he wrote a daily newspaper column in Madison for two decades and has published more than a dozen books, including Tommy: My Journey of a Lifetime (a collaboration with Tommy G. Thompson) and The Right Thing to Do: Kit Saunders-Nordeen and the Rise of Women’s Intercollegiate Athletics at the University of Wisconsin and Beyond.

• Foreword by Pat Richter1 Roses2 Beginnings and Butler3 Wisconsin4 New Ventures5 Giving Back6 Football Fizzles but the Band Plays On7 If You Want to Be a Badger8 Momentum and Loss9 Riding High10 Milestones and Missteps11 Matters of the Heart12 Stepping Away13 Moments of HappinessAcknowledgments

“Before I arrived in Madison, I had never coached at a school where people talked about the band—where the band played a part in everything. It was strange at first, but I soon came to have great respect for Mike Leckrone and what he accomplished. I witnessed how important the band was, not just to the athletic department but to the entire university. That doesn’t come easily. This book reveals just how hard Mike asked his bands to work, as well as the fun they had along the way.”—Barry Alvarez, legendary University of Wisconsin head football coach and director of athletics, and member of the College Football Hall of Fame“Mike Leckrone led the Wisconsin Band and served as an ambassador for the University of Wisconsin for a half century. He is a music legend and there is no one better to help tell his story than Doug Moe, who has chronicled so much of the history of Madison and the state of Wisconsin. This is the tale of an unforgettable life.”—Christopher McIntosh, University of Wisconsin director of athletics and member of the UW Athletic Hall of Fame “Leckrone and Moe take their readers on a fascinating journey. Reading this book is like sitting down over several cups of coffee with Leckrone and hearing him tell stories about his life and career. I could not put it down!”—Terry Austin, past president, American Bandmasters Association