Our History

Sunshine Brass BandTampa, FL

Early 1980s
Karen Kneeburg who along with her husband, Don, provided the guiding force for the band until their retirements in 1995 formed the Sunshine Brass Band in 1983. The Kneeburg's created a band that to this day strives for musical excellence. The band was directed by Paul Gansemer until 1999, and is now led by James Cheyne.

Mid 1980s
The Brass Band world revolves around a particular national
competition called the

North American Brass
Band Association (NABBA). Each year, hundreds of the continent's
finest brass talent congregates in a different city to compete, listen
and learn from each other.

The Sunshine Brass Band competed in the
NABBA competition in its early years winning the Honors division
contest in 1984, 1985, and 1986.

In fact, current day NABBA rules
that require bands that win their division for three consecutive
years to move to the next division (or sit out a year if in the
Championship division) were instituted because of the success of the
Sunshine Brass Band at contest during this time.

Late 1990s
The band renewed its
commitment to participation in NABBA contests by returning to the
competition stage in 1998 after an eleven-year hiatus.

The New Millenium (2000 to present)
The Sunshine Brass Band also soon returned to its winning ways, taking first place
in the 2000 and 2002 Challenge division NABBA contests.

The band took 2003 off from the competition to record it's first Album: Sunshine And Brass