ABOUT
We believe drumming is a communal activity forging special enduring bonds between drummers much akin to breaking bread with another. Capital Battery Line (CBL) is a youth social services organization comprised of members of the percussive arts community with an expressed interest in drumline performance. CBL improves the lives of its members with a curriculum that inspires hope, encourages strong family and friendship bonds, advocates financial literacy, develops interest in civic responsibility and justice, and requires participation in community service. CBL works with mentoring agencies to identify mentors with percussion experience and in various careers/ vocations which align with CBL members' ambition to provide life expectancy and direction to members in pursuit of their ambitions.
CBL's broader impact is to develop a stronger community though youth empowerment, education, and mentoring with specified interest. CBL's program provides early identification of personalities and career/ vocation interest aligned with mentors with similar interest helping to improve the educational attainments, skilled labor force, economic impacts of particular demographics, and develop career pipelines for youth and young adults through corporate and business relationships.
MISSION AND HISTORY
Capital Battery Line inspires youth to make responsible choices in their decision making processes, provides tutoring and mentoring services, and improves the performance standards of its membership and participants in their respective academic, career/ vocation, and social lives.
Capital Battery Line began as an idea to provide a connection between aging career professionals and high income earning skilled laborers to community youth and young adults with similar interest. The original intent was to develop a program that could attract the attention of local celebrities and professionals such as Mike McCall (WCTV lead Meteorologist) with experience performing in drum ensembles especially drumlines and turn that attraction into shared experiences by paring CBL youth members with mentors having experience in akin to youth members academic and career interest. The affect, developing strong social connections benefiting CBL members with apprenticeship stylized mentorship and having an opportunity to play “on line” with their mentors who discover a fun way to commit service to the community.
Shortly prior to his birthday, Brian Forbing having developed skills pertinent to improving the academic success of children participants of the statewide Children of Inmates program, was faced with an untimely departure from the family and social services organization he helped lead. He felt there were better ways to serve the demographic for which he became a trustee and sought to develop a curriculum that could build youth with a focus on whole child services; improving the life of the child by profiling personalities, improving their socioeconomic environments and thinking pathways, introducing and leveraging hope and positive thinking processes, educate youth on their civil rights and liberties and how to limit conflict when defending them, and encourage commitments to community service.
Brian was gifted with a generous donation of used drumline equipment to help he and his wife continue growing the vision for CBL. The donation helped to expand the 21st Century drumline program Brian was instructing at Fairview and begin the development of a competetive community drumline.
It has always been Brian's desire to improve communication between entire demographics of differing socio-economic status. CBL affords such an opportunity allowing for its individuals of underrepresented groups experiences that contribute to the perception of success beholden to better represented socio-economic opposites.
STAFF
BRIAN FORBING
DIRECTOR
Brian Forbing has held a life long passion for the performing arts. He has studied under the direction of Dr. Shaylor L. James and mentored by Taurus Lovely He has been integral in creating unique styles and identities for North FL and South GA marching bands and drumlines with award-winning shows. After graduating from James S. Rickards High School, where he served as drum major (2001-2003), Brian pursued his life dream of marching in the Incomparable Marching 100 earning a "zish" on cymbals. During his term at FAMU, Brian completed an externship at Thomasville H.S. There he introduced uniquely stylized traditional marching and show band techniques shaping their identity. This attracted the attention of the FLowers Bakery Company who cast the band in their 2005 "Dueling Bands" commercial. Brian has served as percussion and drill instructor at Rickards and Godby High School creating superior programs at each. In 2012 Brian was asked to consult and co-arrange with Chop University Rickards' 2012 Home Depot Drumline Competition in California where they were awarded 1st place. He has served countless organizations focused to improve the lives of youth volunteering with Center Pointe Church's Line 150, Boys and Girls Club-Tallahassee Stick Patrol, Tallahassee South Side Kiwanis (Past Club President and FL High Key Club Advisor), AMIKids Tallahassee (SAC board member), FDOA, and the Southern Scholarship Foundation. Following his employment with State Government and developing his company Wise Solutions Fundraising, Brian began studying Political Science and working as an afterschool mentor at Living Stones International (LSI). While at LSI Brian became Project Manager and Afterschool Coordinator. During his employment at LSI, he was responsible for improving the academic success of children participants of the statewide Children of Inmates program for FL DOC, developing curriculums for DJJ youth prevention and probation grants, providing tracking and timely completion of youth civil citations, and coordinating with interns and volunteers to facilitate the LSI's various Family/ Youth Services and Welfare programs. Brian's networking and education paired with his passion for percussion performance grant him a method to uniquely serve the demographic for which he became a trustee. It has always been Brian's desire to improve communication between entire demographics of differing socio-economic status. CBL affords such an opportunity allowing for its individuals of underrepresented groups experiences that contribute to the perception of success of their better represented societal opposites.
ADRIENNE FORBING
CO-FOUNDER
Adrienne Forbing was instructor of Falcon Fury at Fairview Middle School; organized by CBL for the 21st Century Program. Under her direction, Falcon Fury grew from performing strictly as a stage ensemble to one that supports its community at various parades and events in the Tallahassee region. Adrienne's commitment as lead instructor of Falcon Fury had been 100% voluntary accumulating an estimated 240 hours of commnity service per year. Falcon Fury developed from performing for Leon County School Parents to performing in the public in front of over 100,000 spectators per year! Adrienne's command of the public stage, which she effectively translates to the youth in her care, is due to her early exposure as a national youth performer. Adrienne is a starlet positive entertainer with over 10 years of national performing experience. As a traveling youth performer and founding member of Jay Williams and Total Praise (JWTP), she has recorded two acclaimed albums with two lead singles being featured for both. While a member of JWTP Adrienne became soprano section leader responsible for leading cohorts in the community choir whose age varied from 13 to 60+! She is a talented vocalist equally matched by her talents in percussive arts. Adrienne's talents as a singing acoustic drummer have allowed her to tour with international gospel sensation Pheobe and The Chosen Ones. Upon graduating from Amos P. Godby, where she served as percussion section leader and lead bass drummer, Adrienne was accepted to Florida A&M University (FAMU). While attending FAMU she became a member of the world famous FAMU "Marching 100" band's percussion section. Upon completion of her freshman year, Adrienne's demand as a soloist performer began to increase prompting her to pursue production on a personal recording project. She shares her talents, leadership, and lessons of performing on the big stage for gospel greats such as Kurt Carr, Ricky Dillard, Lillian Loyd, Jay Jay Harrison, Miranda Curtis, and many others with the youth of CBL equating her preparation for performing to both the daily and performance demands of Capital Battery youth.
