Over 100 Years of the Clown Band

Since 1903, those famous clowns from Scottville, Michigan have been entertaining millions of music lovers throughout the state. The Scottville Clown Band consists of musicians from all walks of life and all parts of the map. Members are doctors, lawyers, insurance agents, truck drivers, photographers, blacksmiths, horseshoers, social workers, farmers, retirees, unemployed, police officers, salesmen, sailors, politicians, pilots, criminals, educators, conductors, students, grocers, meat cutters, laborers, disc jockeys, reporters, mechanics, servicemen, accountants, engineers, bankers, bakers, butchers and even judges.

The city of Scottville is located in Mason County, 10 miles east of Ludington. Scottville is a friendly little town of about 1,200. Only about 40 live in the Scottville-Ludington area. The rest come from all over Michigan, parts of Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Kansas, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, New York, Colorado, Texas, and California.

The Clown Band's roots date back to the start of the 1900's when a musical group of Scottville merchants began to dress as hillbillies and entertained at local carnivals. Soon the group became more and more popular and the costumes became more and more risqué. World War II meant many hometown men went off to war; it also meant the end of the band. In 1947, Scottville merchant Ray Schulte reformed the group and created what is still known as the Scottville Clown Band. Schulte still plays with the band. "It's one of the highlights of my life," he says about re-organizing the group. "It's one of the greatest organizations to come to Scottville."

Believe it or not, the Clown Band is an organization. Its members are represented by a board of directors. In ways of charity, the Band helped fund, build and maintain the Scottville band shell, funded, built and maintains the Museum of Music at White Pine Village and grants thousands of dollars in scholarships for education in music and the performing arts. The board also makes decisions on band operations and policies.