European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 25, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                July 1985 the stars and stripes Page 9 touring band gets taste of go life by Ellen Ridge staff writer now watch just fold along this and then this John Downie instructed his Alameri can looking audience at a Frankfurt Airport the five members of the department of defense Spon sorted fresh off the plane from a week of touring in fumbled with the task of folding ration cards into a Wallet size package a Challenge for even the most experienced military chief of Dod european touring waited patiently until they gave up and stuffed the mangled cards into their it want the first test of or the the Sunshine express band Mem Bers could expect on their 51day whistle Stop tour of european military it int a bad Way to see Europe on a in As a variety band touring with the Sunshine express will get the unique Opportunity to see not but a part of America Many civilians dont understand the military this gives us a Chance to find out what the Guys in the service really said Mike a 21year old drummer from members were impressed with their first base in ice despite being stranded for a Day on the Remote Eastern coast in High winds grounded their they the Hon Crew were so excited to have they took us on a tour of the site and showed us How the radar said keyboard player Karen two weeks before the band started its european a Canadian from joined the group with her a 25yearold guitar player from in glad we played Iceland first the audiences were and i was real nervous during those first Karen for Mark bassist and touring with the Dod is he is a Veteran of nine overseas and this is his fourth in the other members Marks wife Karen and Mike Are making their first overseas under the sponsorship of the Sunshine express is on one of the most inexpensive european Tours around seeing the country in Exchange for staging about 40 shows at military on arrival at members get limited military identification cards that entitle them to use most base services with the exception of the the groups transportation expenses from the flight Over to use of a touring bus and Driver Are picked up by the they Are billeted either on base or in a hotel guaranteed to Cost no More than per although the members will be paying for their some especially the Remote provide a free meal for a Downie reminded the musicians that they Are responsible for their Luggage and music equipment All 32 pieces of if they go Over their weight limit As the band touring before them did the airlines surcharges come out of their own trying to avoid extra Luggage and who look More like an upwardly Mobile Texas couple than musicians from had planned to use their Apo benefits in Germany to mail photo by Ellen Ridge Tim Melby and Mary Sorensen take photographs from the bus window As Mark Sorensen Home two boxes of icelandic the airline left one of their boxes in there go All our Christmas Mary one of the groups major tasks is Matching Luggage slips with corresponding not an easy thing to do when you have to match 32 slips to i feel like in playing Tim said As the group stood tags in while Mark called off the numbers on the another logistical problem arose when the airline asked where they should Send the Box when its the band will be moving on an average of every three Days through Italy and the while Mark arranged for the Box to be sent to the Dod in Karen practice her College Ger Man on Rauchen Sie she what replied who dropped his German class after the first unlike some which Downie said Are scared to death of Sunshine express is enthusiastic about i tend to go for the and i guess i influence the others in the Mark All five members Are interested in getting off the american bases during their free time and absorbing european you can take one of these overseas Tours and basically never leave the states by staying on the Mark some groups May choose to do but i like to get out and see the the group is stationed near Wharton Barracks in Heilbronn for its first three Days in making trips daily from the the first is an hour away at a Remote site in so Sunshine express has enjoyed playing for smaller audiences in were not touring for the big Mark were Here for the Remote where they dont have a lot of other stuff to everyone really appreciates you at the Small Karen the group plays a variety of music in the Hope of providing something for the two hour show starts off with a top 40 package and includes tunes from Alabama and the performance is divided into medleys of country Southern pop and we try to get a lot of different stuff into our show that Way we can try to make sure people will like some part of Mark Reisenbach loves a Good time photo by Ellen a logo Mary Sorensen sings to a service member at by Ellen Ridge staff writer Reisen Bali is quiet and Scenic but to get there Means driving an hour from Heidelberg through winding single Lane roads with Only Farmland that Why the 19 service members stationed at the Remote communications site seize the Opportunity to get a department of defense we enjoy these groups so much they have a hard time getting out of the we dont go for just one air Force Debra Gaboury it brings everyone its the highlight of the whether its gospel music or Rock everyone chips in to Roll out the red carpet for the Gaboury in this it was a five member variety band called Sunshine for the Reisenbach Crew it was the usual Daylong preparations for the groups barbecued potato homemade brownies the staff at the Remote site threw a party that would rival any Hometown picnic in the a lot of fuss goes into you cant just go Down to the 7eleven and pick up some stuff its an Allday air Force master Glen Wintrich to this is the Bare minimum we do because we appreciate it so Gaboury said the site usually throws a party every five when a new show this is one of the Basic times to get said Michelle its Good entertainment for and it gets people out of their rooms the room Thornton keys said it Doest matter what Type of entertainment is everyone shows up to have a Good we have 19 people working but youll probably see 50 people Wintrich everyone shows plus we invite our German it gives us a Chance to thank you for supporting the one hour away from Heidelberg and two hours away from serves As an army air Force communications outpost for the Southeastern Quarter of unlike most Remote which last one assign ments to Reisenbach Are for 15 its like a Little Gaboury you learn a lot about yourself while youre stationed up the people make the Wintrich you really learn to get along with each other you have to out in the Middle of just like when we have a group up Gaboury we dont have to throw a but we want to make the most of nobody been told they have to attend this everyone just gets out there and hoots and hollers and puts their Best Effort into