COEUR d'ALENE — John Tindall was a proud tuba player and Coeur d'Alene High School musician.

"John was very much a connector," John's wife, Tracey Tindall, said Wednesday. "He loved talking about the good old days. He loved talking about band."

He used to replace the word "fiddle" with "tuba" when "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" played on the radio.

"I can't ever not hear that now," Tracey said with a soft laugh.

John was especially fond of his time playing at Coeur d'Alene High, from which he and Tracey graduated in 1984 — a time they considered a golden era to be a Viking.

"Band was such an important part of his memories," Tracey said. "He was in parades, he was a drum major two years, his brother was a drum major prior."

John was just 56 when he died in October 2022, leaving behind a loving legacy his many friends, family members and classmates will never forget.

"He was 6-foot-4 with a big mustache and a big personality," Tracey said. "But he was super humble. He was very loving and very giving."

A few things he left behind were his well-cared-for instruments, including a trombone, a couple of trumpets and his beloved tuba.

In summer 2024, Tracey donated the tuba to the band program at Coeur d'Alene High.

"It was emotional," she said. "I always knew I wanted to do it. It just took me a long time to get to that point."

She donated the trombone to a Kellogg student and a trumpet to the Music Conservatory of Coeur d'Alene. 

On Friday morning, she presented Coeur d'Alene High music director Jim Phillips with another one of John's trumpets.

"It's a good horn, it's in good shape," Phillips said, inspecting the shining brass instrument.

A student trumpet could go for $500-$800, Phillips said. Professional trumpets can run $1,500-$3,000.

The Tindall tuba could fetch around $9,500.

"It is in mint condition," Phillips said. "He really took care of it."

While it is worth a pretty penny, Tracey knows its value is much more than monetary. She said it would mean the world to John to know his tuba would be used by new generations of Vikings.

"I knew I could sell that thing for money, but it seemed so inappropriate," she said. "He'd be really happy to know it's being put to use by someone who loves it too."

Phillips has entrusted it to the use of junior Sheen Broncheau, a longtime student musician.

"I'm the only tuba player at CHS, not to toot my own horn," Sheen told The Press. "I’ve put a bunch of care into that instrument. I'm the only person allowed to use it because of how expensive it is and it’s in great condition."

He said this gift is a display of the pride Viking alums have in the high school they attended.

"It shows a really good sense of community; they want to give back to the high schoolers who are in the same position they were in," Sheen said. "I feel like it shows the importance of being in band and playing an instrument and how important it was to them. They want to give back and let someone else experience the greatness of being in band."

Many of the instruments in the Coeur d'Alene High band room that are available for student use are more than 70 years old.

Phillips has compiled a prioritized wish list sharing the needs of the various music programs. It would cost more than $219,000 for repairs, replacements and purchases to fulfill the list.

"High school players, if you give them a crappy instrument, they're going to work as hard as they can to get a good sound," Phillips said. "If you give them a high-quality instrument, they don't have to work as hard and it lets them do more with the sound."

Sheen spoke to the Coeur d'Alene High School Booster Club during its Jan. 14 meeting. He said that without proper equipment, like quality percussion materials, drumsticks or well-maintained instruments, a band’s performance suffers.

"Small issues, like a broken cork on a saxophone or a faulty spit valve on a trombone, can disrupt rehearsal time, often requiring several minutes to fix or making the instrument unusable," Sheen said. "Investing in high-quality, purpose-built equipment reduces these disruptions, allowing more time for productive rehearsals."

During fall concert preparations, small malfunctions took over 10 minutes to fix, and two instruments had to be taken to the shop, he said.

"Reliable gear ensures that all band members have equal opportunities to perform at their best, boosting student confidence and fostering teamwork," Sheen said.

Coeur d'Alene High's music program has been a source of pride for the community dating back to when its first pep band performed in 1925. The storied Raymond Fahringer is revered for establishing the program. He was followed by Gilbert Burns and John Terris, making Phillips the fourth music director in the high school's history.

The Class of 1985 has launched a campaign to revitalize high school band programs, fittingly named "Band Together for the Future." The campaign's objectives will be to increase student enrollment, secure funding and promote band programs as an essential part of education. This will be an ongoing effort. Vikings are encouraged to make donations in John's memory.

Have a gently used instrument sitting on the shelf collecting dust? Email Phillips at jphillips@cdaschools.org for details about how to donate.

    Jim Phillips, seen Friday in the Coeur d'Alene High band room, praises the condition of the tuba that was donated to the school's band program by Tracey Tindall, widow of John Tindall, who played the tuba for Coeur d'Alene High.
  

    Coeur d'Alene High School Class of 1984 grad John Tindall is seen here with the tuba he played while in high school. Tindall died in October 2022. The tuba has been donated to the Coeur d'Alene High band program.

    Coeur d'Alene High junior Sheen Broncheau is pictured with John Tindall's tuba during a recent performance. Sheen spoke Jan. 14 to the Coeur d'Alene High Booster Club about the importance of having instruments in good condition for student use. Many of the school's student instruments are at least 70 years old.
  

  

    Coeur d'Alene High School's first pep band is pictured here 100 years ago.