Larry Vinson

Larry Vinson currently resides in Paragould, Arkansas, where he holds a split position within the Trumann School District as both a counselor and social work support specialist. He earned his undergraduate degree in Psychology from Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, Arkansas, before completing his Master of Science in Education in School Counseling at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Arkansas. After obtaining his Master's degree, Larry pursued additional coursework to become a Licensed Mental Health Therapist.

Larry’s journey with Drum Corps International (DCI) began in his high school years, when he first encountered DCI through VHS tapes shown by his band director, Mr. Brady Massey. These tapes were often played before and after band rehearsals, sparking Larry’s passion for the activity. He vividly remembers the 1986 Sky Ryders performance, which remains one of his all-time favorites.

As a high school sophomore, Larry’s band director became involved with a small Division III corps based in Little Rock, Arkansas, known as The Delta Brigade. Larry joined the corps as the lead mellophone player and marched with them during the 1994 and 1995 seasons. Unfortunately, the corps became inactive in 1996. Thanks to the efforts of the corps director, however, all members who wished to continue marching were placed with another corps, the Americanos. This transition elevated the Americanos to a Division II corps and gave Larry the opportunity to expand his skill set—particularly in color guard, where he learned to spin rifle and sabre in addition to his prior flag work. The 1996 season also marked the end of Larry’s marching career with DCI.

Years later, after becoming a school counselor at his alma mater, Larry returned to the marching world by volunteering as a color guard technician. Initially, he thought his days in band were behind him, but he quickly rediscovered his passion for marching band and drum corps. After two years as a guard tech, he was offered the position of Guard Instructor, a role that was funded by the school district. Under Larry’s leadership, the school’s color guard has consistently earned excellent and superior ratings at competitions, and they are frequent recipients of "Best in Class" honors. He attributes much of this success to the strong leadership of the band directors under which he serves, and the dedicated work ethic and culture of the guard members.

Larry is both humbled and excited to be joining the Sky Ryders staff. The opportunity feels surreal, and he looks forward to contributing to the legacy of this storied organization. He hopes to bring a sense of pride, hard work, and just having fun along the way!