A bit of “Then” and “Now” as Hot Springs Concert Band celebrates 50 years of tune-making. Top circa 1980. Bottom 2024. Submitted photos.
The roots of the Hot Springs Concert Band (HSCB) go back to 1975, when Dr. Lamar “Doc” Smith formed the Hot Springs Community Service Organization (C.S.O.) Senior Citizen Band, under the direction of Mr. John Melton.
The band went through several name changes, in 1988 and again in 2005, growing from 20 musicians in 1975 to upwards of 70 musicians in 2025.
The band has had a total of seven conductors, including Mr. Jim Lloyd who succeeded Dr. Craig Hamilton last fall. The HSCB has become the largest community band in Arkansas rehearsing and performing year-round. HSCB members come from more than a dozen communities in central and western Arkansas.
Besides maintaining a minimum nine concert per year schedule for many years, the band has consistently been faithful in giving back to its communities through performing at various events and venues, such as the grand opening celebrations for Magic Springs (1978), Hot Springs Mall (1982), the Woodlands Auditorium (1991 – Hot Springs Village), and Garvan Woodland Gardens (2002). The band also did promotional tours to Little Rock, Job Corps, and the Christmas tree lighting at the State Capitol.
The HSCB is proud of its rich musical heritage of 50 years and sees 2025 as a year not only to celebrate its golden anniversary but also as a new beginning to build upon that heritage into a legacy that you can be a part of creating through celebrating the music the band makes for you in future concerts.
For more information, please visit the website at www.hotspringsband.org.
