In the fourth grade, Dr. Lisa Blackmore picked up the trumpet and instantly knew that it was different from any other instrument. 

The guitar was not for her, the clarinet was not for her, but the trumpet was and it suited her. 

She noted that the loud sounds probably annoyed her father, who would already be in bed while she practiced in the next room, but they never complained to her because she loved playing the trumpet. 

Soon, Blackmore realized why the trumpet was different from any other instrument. For a big part of her life, Blackmore has been playing “Taps” at veterans funerals all across Missouri. 

“It’s really the greatest honor and the most important thing a trumpet player can do,” Blackmore said. “You can play in orchestras and you can play in bands and that’s wonderful, but to play taps is another level.” 

“Taps” is a 24-note melody played at military funerals to honor a veteran that lost their life. It is played by a bugle or a trumpet and is a sign of respect to the fallen veteran. 

Blackmore has done around 350 tap services over the years, with her first one she recalled in high school in the 1970s. 

In addition, Blackmore has served the veteran community through the Missouri Military Funeral Honors service and the all-women’s American Legion post where she was an auxiliary member for around 20 years. 

Blackmore’s father was a World War II veteran which allowed her to be a member of the auxiliary. She recalled meeting some of the best people in the world during her time at the post and admiring each one of them greatly.  

She noted that many people want a live performance of “Taps,” something that is not always made possible. Sometimes people have a recorded sound playing that looks like it’s a live performance, but is not actually live. 

Blackmore added that sometimes batteries will fail and the recording stops, making for an awkward and awful situation. 

“People want an alive bugle instead of the recording that is so often done nowadays,” Blackmore said. “That’s the unfortunate thing is that we’ve fallen kind of wayside and the recorded bugle is done tastefully but they’re not playing it.”

Blackmore takes pride in making sure to honor fallen veterans through her trumpet, with her husband, Mark, adding that “Taps” is like a “last love song.”

“It’s peaceful, it’s haunting and it’s a little bit like a love song, but not syrupy,” Blackmore said. “There’s emotion to it, but you don’t want to sweeten it up too much. You just play it with a beautiful sound.” 

Blackmore has performed for her friends' funerals before, including Lois Schipper where she performed for both of her brothers that passed away. 

“She played at the funeral and also the taps and the relatives are still talking about it,” Schipper recalled with a laugh. 

“There’s right ways to play it and if it’s heartfelt, that’s the most important thing,” Blackmore added. “You want to do the best that you can to honor the memory of the veteran.” 

Blackmore believes this is the most important thing a trumpet player can do. She enjoys playing “Taps” and playing for the church, adding that playing for orchestras and bands are great too, but these are the most important things to her as a trumpet player. 

“It’s an honor to play for veterans as kind of a farewell to them but it’s way more than that,” Blackmore said. “It touches people you know, it really does.”