Campaign Overview
Help us ensure veterans are honored with live Taps … played by a real person … when it matters most.
30 Days of Real Taps is a September campaign from Real Taps for Real Heroes to recruit 30 new Taps volunteers in 30 days … with a special focus on high school and college trumpet players.
This September, we are calling on volunteer buglers to bring Real Taps to the Alabama National Cemetery in Montevallo, Alabama.
We are requesting a live performance of “Taps” at 4:30 PM each day (when the cemetery closes). By agreeing to play at this time, you will bring a true, live rendition of Taps to honor the veterans interred there — a personal and solemn tribute that recordings simply cannot match.
Your performance will ensure that these heroes, and their families, receive the dignity and respect of a real bugler playing in the moment it matters most. Even a single day of service makes a meaningful difference in preserving this sacred military tradition right here in our own backyard.
Purpose: Too many veteran families still experience the impersonal sound of electronic Taps over a recording at graveside services. We’re working to ensure every hero is honored with live Taps … played by a real person … in the moment when it matters most.
Who Can Join Real Taps for Real Heroes?
We are particularly seeking high school and college trumpet players, band members, music majors, and other young brass instrumentalists who wish to contribute to this meaningful cause. The 30 Days of Real Taps campaign places special emphasis on recruiting from these groups. Their participation will help develop the next generation of volunteer buglers and foster a lifelong appreciation for veterans and the tradition of musical service.
The campaign warmly welcomes any capable brass player—regardless of age or background—who can perform “Taps” with confidence, accuracy, and the solemn respect the occasion demands. No prior professional experience is required. Training, resources, and local placement support are provided to ensure every volunteer can succeed.
This September, participants will have the opportunity to perform live “Taps” at 4:30 PM daily (the cemetery’s closing time) at the Alabama National Cemetery in Montevallo, Alabama (3133 Highway 119, Montevallo, AL 35115). Volunteers may commit to one or more days during the month.
Whether you are a student seeking to make a difference through your school band or music program, or an experienced musician desiring to honor veterans in your local community, your participation is both valued and needed.
Raise Awareness: Highlight the significant decline in volunteer buglers in Alabama—currently only 26 active volunteers—and the resulting impact on veterans’ families who often receive recorded rather than live performances.
Inspire Action: Encourage musicians across Alabama to join Bugles Across America and volunteer their time and talent, with the goal of recruiting 30 new buglers during the 30-day campaign and expanding the state total toward 100 within the next year.
Preserve Tradition: Educate the public on the importance of maintaining the tradition of live “Taps” performances for future generations, ensuring veterans receive the dignified honors they have earned.
How To Participate
Commit to one or more days in September at 4:30 PM.
No professional experience required — just the ability to play “Taps” confidently and reverently.
Training, support, and coordination will be provided.
Location
Alabama National Cemetery – Montevallo, Alabama
The Alabama National Cemetery is a 479-acre United States National Cemetery located at 3133 Highway 119, Montevallo, AL 35115. Dedicated in 2008 and opened for burials in 2009, it serves as a final resting place for thousands of America’s veterans in the Birmingham area and is designed to meet the needs of veterans in the region for at least the next 50 years.
Phone: (205) 665-9039 Visitation Hours: Open daily from sunrise to sunset.
Sign Up
Sign up form for 30 days of taps will be coming soon.
Impact Goals
- Increase the number of bugler volunteers in Alabama from 26 to 100 within the next year.
- Foster a renewed appreciation for “Taps” and its role in honoring veterans.
- Build a lasting network of musicians committed to preserving this sacred tradition.
How You Can Help
- Spread the Word: Share campaign updates on social media.
- Volunteer: Sign up as a bugler or encourage others to join.
- Support the Journey: Donate to help fund travel, events, and outreach efforts.