The marching tempo has ended for Sale City Band member Bob Wallace, after 35 years playing the bass drum.

The demands of long marches have physically become too much for the retired Bob Wallace although he hopes to continue playing the E^b bass in static performances.

In his 35 years , he has marched in two Melbourne Moomba parades and played under 5 bandmasters.

He began learning the cornet in 1942 from the then bandmaster, plumber Bill Heron but war service intervened and Bob Wallace did not return to the band ranks until 1966 when he was elected secretary.

Music is on Bob Wallace's maternal side, his mother Ann (nee Wain) had her own band, known as Fannie Wallace's Old Time Orchestra, early last century, playing for dances at the Sale Mechanics Institute and Australian Natives Association hall.

Sale City Band has been travelling to Mallacoota for the past 11 years at Easter time. This year, under bandmaster Hugh Davies, members played eveneings in the caravan park for campers, prior to the festival procession on Saturday morning and prior to the Iron Man events on Sunday morning. The band may not have been in uniform, but the music was as good as ever.

LEADING the way ... SALE City Band's talent shone through on Sunday when the local group won the 54th Sale City Eisteddfod street march section.

The band also took out the Brass Band Entertainment contest where it competed against Morwell and Bairnsdale.

The brass section was the beginning of the eight-day music event, with the general music section starting yesterday. Record entries will compete in the country and pop section this weekend.

AWARDED players ... Brendan Moss and Marita Davies won prestigious awards at the recent Latrobe Valley Eisteddfod.

LOCAL Sale City Band musicians Brendan Moss and Marita Davies won prestigious awards at the recent Latrobe Valley Eisteddfod.

Brendan won the Merv Heitch Memorial trophy and memento for the most promising junior cornet player.

Marita won the Robert Hentschel Memorial Trophy for the most promising band member. She received a famous painting of the Avon River by Grace Walker, first awarded in 1972.

Sale City Band missed first place in the band competition by one point when it played Country Side and Common People, Hymn Tune and Calling Cornwall.

Sale City Band is looking for more musicians. The group rehearses every Monday night from 7.30pm at its band rooms on Foster St, Sale. Everyone is welcome and experience is not needed.