RAY Jago will play his cornet for the 50th consecutive year in Sale's 2000 Anzac ceremony.
Since moving to Giffard in 1950, Mr J ago cannot recall a year not playing The Last Post.
Mr Jago began playing the cornet at eight years of age.
Growing up in Melbourne, he played in the East Kew school band before leaving school and joining the East Kew Citizens' Band in the 1940s.
It was in this band that he first played The Last Post.
Mr Jago clearly remembers the Melbourne Anzac marches he participated in as a teenager. "We started from Lonsdale St., walked up Swanston St. and St Kilda Rd. to the Shrine of Remembrance. "It was a long walk for a young feller, especially with such a large crowd to witness the event ," he said.
Moving to his Giffard farm in 1950, Mr Jago immediately joined the Sale City Band to continue his keen interest in brass instruments.
He obtained a winning place in the Ballarat Australiasian Championships in the late 1950s.
From 1960-68, he changed to the Maffra band, becoming band master.
He then returned to the Sale band, also as Band Master for a few years.
He also taught brass instruments at St Annes and Gippsland Grammar and Sale Technical School in the 1970s. "He has successfully trained many people, and many children to play brass instruments," said his wife, Beverley.
Mr Jago has helped coordinate the brass section of the Sale Eisteddford for a number of years, including time on the committee and as president.
Ray and Beverley, have sold their farm and are now living in Sale. They have two sons, each with two daughters .

Sale City Band members Merita Davies on trombone, Terina Davies on euphonium and Louise Mowat on cornet will be part of a concert of warm winter music on Sunday at Sale Memorial Hall. The Band will be joined by recent solists from the Sale Eisteddfod.

It promises to be a day of easy listening music and will begin from 2:00pm.

OLYMPIC excitement ... the Sale City Band is preparing for its part in the torch relay

ON August 8 Sale Showgrounds will come alive with Olympic fever as Wellington Shire hosts the Olympic torch relay.

An action-packed program has been devised for the afternoon, beginning at noon with the Sale City Band setting the ambience with a range of tunes that will touch the hearts and inspire dreams.

The band begins at noon.

Playing a mix of "Australian and Olympic" themed music, the talented musicians are set to entertain.

TOP performers ...Daniel McKimm (above) and Marita Davies (inset) took out their solo performance sections at the Traralgon Eisteddfod.

CELEBRATING success from the Traralgon Eisteddfod are Sale City Band members Marita Davies and Daniel McKimm.

Daniel won the Merv Leitch Memorial Trophy for the most promising junior cornet player for an exceptional solo performance. He also won the under 12 years Solo section.

Daniel is one of the newest recruits with the Sale City Band, and is showing true musicianship as he progresses.

Marita Davies also won her section for 14 and under 16 solo on any instrument. Marita has been playing with the band for a number of years and has shown fine skills on a variety of instruments, always able to rise to the challenge called for in her playing.

In the bands section the Sale City Band came in second in their competition. Bandmaster Hugh Davies said that the level of competition at Traralgon has improved dramatically and Sale can be justly proud of the placing they received. "Frankston Band were a treat to listen to, and deserve their first placing," he said. Little separated the two bands in the points scored.

At the Monday night practice the Sale City Band was joined by three former members who were home. Jason Grimestead, percussion player with the Army Band, came along to lend a hand. Jason had recently returned from serving with the Army in East Timor.

Loise Mowat and Aaron Richard were home on semester breaks from university. Ken Garner, long time band member, was delighted, and said that it was great to see the players return for a night of good music and band fellowship. ''You see them grow up and learn all they can and it is very heartening to realised that they have learnt a skill for life," he said.

Sale City Band will be giving a community concert on November 5 in the Sale Memorial Hall and everyone is welcome.