Jon Sims formed the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Marching Band & Twirling Corp in 1978 and first performed that year in San Francisco on what is now called the Gay Pride Celebration. I was in the crowd and witnessed them play just following the convertible that was carrying Harvey Milk (assassinated with the Mayor just months later).
After seeing the band perform a second time in 1979, I decided that I wanted to join. I first marched with them during the gay pride celebration in 1980 (as shown in the picture with me on the right and Jon Sims on the left). At the time I was starting out as a "Band Aid" and was helping control the crowd. Not long after that I began playing trumpet and stayed for four years.
Two years after this, Jon Sims started showing symptoms of AIDS. Nobody knew about the disease then and it wasn't till early 1984 that he was diagnosed. Six months later it took his life. I performed for the last time with the band at his memorial in Grace Cathedral.
