Among the delights of summer are the earnest, lively and sometimes imperfect stylings of community bands, which have a long history in the Upper Valley.

Recently this newspaper recounted the contributions of two longtime band directors: Ed Evensen, who has been with the Claremont American Band for 55 of his 67 years, and the late Carol Blake, who led the Upper Valley Community Band for 30 years before she died in March. In a time when people are said to avoid long-term commitments, they devoted decades to music, as teachers in schools, and then with bands where they encouraged adults to keep playing long after school days were done. Their impressively long tenures trail that of another Upper Valley band director, the late Dick Ellis, who formed the South Royalton Town Band and led it for 71 years until his death last year. He was so successful at recruiting musicians that the town built a second, larger bandstand on the South Royalton green to hold them.

Their stories suggest where music can take you. Evensen was a Claremont boy who expected to work at a blue-collar job after high school, but a teacher recognized his talent and helped him win a scholarship to Boston University. In addition to teaching, he has played with as many as 20 bands throughout New England; “I think I have played all over God’s creation,” he said. The band he now directs has an even longer history, dating to 1888; guest conductors have included John Philip Sousa, “The March King,” whose star shines bright every Fourth of July.

Blake’s love of music went back at least to fourth grade, in Lebanon, where she picked up the trumpet and played for hours every day. Under her direction, the Hanover-Norwich Band became the Upper Valley Community Band and doubled in size. Its musicians include high schoolers and players in their 80s, a rare display of demographic range. An enthusiastic world traveler, Blake led an exchange concert in Heimsheim, Germany. But community bands don’t usually travel so far. They mostly bring their music to local parades and parks as they barnstorm through summer.

Musicians say Evensen and Blake encouraged them to not fret about mistakes, but to play on and do their best. Blake’s sister said “she was absolutely dedicated to the teaching of music.” Evensen sums up his avocation simply: “I just really love to play.”

If audiences were aware of the motivation behind the music, they might envy that love and dedication, even as they tap their feet to Stars and Stripes Forever. Recorded music is as nearby as your phone, but there is still something special about hearing songs performed live, especially from the vantage of a lawn chair on an evening when a sunset closes the show. Community bands are a long New England tradition; their high season is a reminder that summer is short and shouldn’t be missed.