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The Nevada State March

Silver State Fanfare

music by Gerald Willis

Adoption of the State March

When the Proctor R. Hug High School Marching Band and Dance Team, Reno, were asked to participate in the 1997 Inaugural Parade for the President of the United States, they said YES! The band's Directory, Gerald Willis knew the band was up to it and decided to compose an original march for the occasion that was uniquely Nevada's. The "Silver State Fanfare" march was born. It happens that Gerald Willis was a composer as well as a director and a teacher. He also wrote the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) fight song.

Over 100 Nevada kids participated in the 1997 Presidential Inaugural in Washington, D.C., representing the state of Nevada and their high school. State Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 11 congratulates the Band and Dance Team for their participation in the inaugural parade.

After its performance in Washington, the popularity of the song began to grow. The Ruby Mountain Symphony from Elko, Nevada, premiered the composition in November 2000. The song was played by the Lovelock High School band for Representative Gibbons in Washington, D.C. During the Reno Mayors' Conference, the march was played when the mayors marched down Virginia Street to the river. "Silver State Fanfare" was taking its place as a de facto state song.

In 1997 a bill was introduced in the Nevada Legislature to designate "Silver State Fanfare" as official state march of the State of Nevada." This bill was passed in the Assembly but didn't make it through the Senate because of a large workload.

In 2001, the idea for a state march, "Silver State Fanfare" in particular, was introduced again to the Legislature in Assembly Bill No. 165. This time the bill made it all the way through the Assembly and the Senate to the Governor's desk.

The march, "Silver State Fanfare" by Gerald Willis, was adopted as the official state march of Nevada by the Legislature on May 24, 2001. The Legislation was signed by the Governor on May 29, 2001 to become effective on October 1, 2001.

Nevada General Statutes

The following information is excerpted from the Nevada General Statutes, Title 19, Chapter 235, Section 235.035.

TITLE 19. MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS RELATED TO GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS
CHAPTER 235. STATE EMBLEMS; GIFTS AND ENDOWMENTS
MISCELLANEOUS STATE EMBLEMS
SECTION 235.035. STATE MARCH

NRS 235.035 State march. The march entitled "Silver State Fanfare," composed by Gerald Willis, is hereby adopted and declared to be the official state march of the State of Nevada.
(Added to NRS by 2001, 966)

Source: Nevada Legislature, December 11, 2004
Source: State Names, Seals, Flags, and Symbols by Benjamin F. Shearer and Barbara S. Shearer, Copyright 2002
Source: State Songs America, Edited by M.J. Bristow, Copyright 2000

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