They’re getting the band back together — literally.

Members of the Dartmouth High School Class of 1970 have remained close — so close, in fact, that instead of celebrating just the big milestones, they’ve met every five years since graduation.

This year, they’ve even formed a band to perform at their 45th class reunion to be held on July 25 at the New Bedford Country Club.

“It arose out of a conversation from the 40th reunion,” said event organizer and Class President David Hastings. “We had a bunch of folks who had been musicians professionally, and we had a bunch of amateurs. We said, ‘We should be able to do a set — maybe not the whole night, but at least play for a little bit.'”

Not only has the group never missed a chance to celebrate, but they’ve also invited the Class of 1971 to join them at this year’s event, as well as some of the school’s faculty at the time.

“We get between 100 and 150 (attendees) — the class was 242 members,” said Hastings. 
“This is the first time we’re throwing it together with 1971. We’re bringing the little kids along.”

Hastings said that surprisingly, most of the group's former teachers aren’t as old as one would expect.

“You think your teachers are so much older than you, but some of these people are only 10 or 12 years older than us,” he said.

Joining the “DHS Alumni and Friends All Star Band” are former New Bedford area guitarist and vocalist Peter Grace and local bassist George Blier. Dartmouth High alums Bethany Smith Staelens, a vocalist with the Smith-Staelens Big Band in Seattle, and Harry Teachman, a renowned area pedal steel guitarist, will play with the band, as well as Hastings on bass trombone.

Former Dartmouth Public Schools music director David Touchette, also a Dartmouth High alum, will join in the fun, as well as former local star athlete Jeremiah Regan, who will anchor the band on keyboards. Regan started a cover band in Florida about eight years ago after a career in finance.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for us all to play together for our classmates from 1970 and 1971,” said Hastings.

Dartmouth native Vicki Abbott Bancroft, the chair of the reunion committee, said she was “choked up” after reading a newspaper piece about class reunions that was recently posted on group's Facebook page.

“I need my class,” said Bancroft. “I need my reunion. It is a constant amongst too much change.”

Tickets and detailed information can be obtained by contacting David Hastings via email at davidhastingsmba@outlook.com or via phone at 617-312-5146.