Q: Did Sousa write "76 Trombones"?

A: No. It was written by Meredith Willson for his famous musical "The Music Man", which was a hit both on Broadway and as a 1962 musical motion picture starring Robert Preston and Shirley Jones.

What is not widely known is that Meredith Willson actually performed with Sousa's band as a flute/piccolo player for several years. This band experience and small-town Iowa roots inspired him to write the musical.