Bucyrus music teacher to be honored during Bratwurst Festival

Trent Cornell was well-known around town as a great drummer and percussion teacher as well as a friend and mentor to many.

The Vietnam veteran, who died in April, is being honored during the Bratwurst Festival on Saturday at 9 p.m. on the Ohio Mutual Stage in the Schines Art Park by the Break the Chain band.

“I met Trent when I came to Bucyrus as a student teacher from Heidelberg College in 1997. He was my friend for 20 years, and for much of that time, he also worked as the high school marching band’s percussion advisor, which was something he loved doing,” said Mark Fiske, owner and founder of Sonic Spotlight Productions, LLC, who sponsors the Break the Chain band.

Fiske said Cornell was an important part of the music education for many students.

Educated more than 1000 band members

“He was part of what has to be well over 1,000 band members’ music educations — working as a performer, percussion advisor, offering private drum set lessons and advising musical selections for halftime shows seen by thousands of fans,” said Fiske.

Cornell played in several bands over the years in his down time from teaching and his main one was Music City Express.

“We played over 500 gigs together. It was a lot of fun,” said Cornell’s former band member, Dave Miller. “He was a fun guy and is missed.”

Fiske, who headed up the Bucyrus High School band until 2021, said any time he was working with the band to prepare or perform the National Anthem, he always thought about veterans he knew and respected.

“Which specifically included my grandfathers, my father and Trent Cornell and his service in Vietnam,” said Fiske.

Long Train Runnin'

Fiske is asking for local musicians to participate in Cornell’s version of, “Long Train Runnin’,” during the Break the Chain’s tribute to Cornell at the Bratwurst Festival.

Fiske’s Facebook post reads: In this area, there’s a popular 1973, 1994 arrangement by WARNER-TAMERLANE-PUBLISHING-CORP. of The Doobie Brothers’ “LONG TRAIN RUNNIN''’” (including a 22-measure drum break originally arranged/ transcribed by Trent and his percussion section). If you know this arrangement of this song, please consider bringing your instrument — (or asking your local school to borrow an instrument) — and joining BREAK THE CHAIN during their 9PM show at Schine’s Art Park on 8/19 during this year’s Bratwurst Festival to pay tribute special tribute to Mr. Trent Cornell.

“Long Train Runnin’” became sort of an unofficial fight song for the high school marching band, which I believe is a tradition that started when that song was purchased and taught in 1994, and that Trent, and the drummers under his guidance at the time, contributed to in a lasting way by writing and arranging the drum break in the middle of the song,” said Fiske. “Considering the joy that Trent felt from working with student musicians and from making music with them, doing this seems like the type of thing, had he been able to see it, that would’ve put a smile on his face.”

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Trent Cornell tribute during Bucyrus Bratwurst Festival