Scott "Freebird" Wheeler

Scott “Freebird” Wheeler’s induction into the Crossmen Hall of Fame recognizes his unforgettable service, personality, professionalism, and love for the corps as the longtime driver of the Crossmen equipment truck, affectionately known as “The Music Store.”

Scott served as the equipment truck driver from 2003 through 2010, becoming an essential part of the Crossmen touring family. He was an exceptional trucker and an absolute professional — dependable, skilled, and deeply committed to getting the corps safely and efficiently from one destination to the next. In an activity where every mile matters and every arrival sets the tone for the day, Scott’s work helped keep the Crossmen moving.

On long drives, Scott did more than drive. He helped keep the entire convoy alert, engaged, and entertained over the two-way radio. His humor, stories, and personality made the endless miles of tour a little lighter for the other drivers. When the convoy arrived at a housing site, Scott was often one of the first to rally the team, helping set up and make the necessary connections to the kitchen trailer so the food crew could focus on preparing meals for the members.

To the members, Scott made the hard work of loading and unloading the equipment truck fun. With rock ’n’ roll blasting from the cab of his truck, he turned one of the most routine and exhausting parts of tour into something filled with energy, laughter, and personality. He brought joy to the lot, humor to difficult days, and a sense of family to the work that had to be done.

A two-time recipient of the Spirit of the Crossmen Award, Scott truly embodied the soul of the corps. He was honest, direct, funny, loyal, and deeply loved by those who knew him. He was someone members, staff, drivers, and volunteers could talk to — and they knew he would always tell it like it was. That honesty was part of his charm and part of why so many people trusted and loved him.

Scott passed away in late 2010, and the impact of his loss was felt deeply throughout the Crossmen family. In his memory, a patch was created and sewn onto the Crossmen uniforms for the 2011 season. The patch meant so much to Fred Morrison and to everyone connected with the corps that it remained on the uniform for several more seasons. It was a visible tribute to someone whose presence had become part of the heart of the organization.

Throughout his life, Scott would come home with tall tales about the famous and remarkable people he had met. His family sometimes had their doubts — until Scott always managed to provide proof. In the early 2000s, he began telling them about a great group of people he was working with called the Crossmen. Once again, his family wondered if the stories could really be true.

After his passing, the outpouring of love from the Crossmen family showed them exactly what Scott had been talking about. The members, staff, volunteers, and alumni he called “his kids,” “the friends,” and “the family” had loved him just as deeply as he loved them. His family saw firsthand that Scott had indeed found something special in the Crossmen — and that the Crossmen had found something just as special in him.

Scott “Freebird” Wheeler was more than a truck driver. He was a protector of the road, a source of laughter, a keeper of morale, a trusted friend, and a beloved part of the Crossmen family. His spirit traveled with the corps in every mile driven, every load-in and load-out, every story told, and every member who felt cared for because he was there.

For his years of service as equipment truck driver, his professionalism on the road, his devotion to the members and volunteers, his two Spirit of the Crossmen Awards, and his lasting place in the heart of the Crossmen family, we proudly honor Scott “Freebird” Wheeler as a member of the Crossmen Hall of Fame Class of 2017.