A free concert, featuring marches of famed American composer John Philip Sousa, inaugurated a new million-dollar outdoor performing arts amphitheater in the Florida Keys last night. Sousa's great-grandson was there.

Festivities featured Keith Brion and his New Sousa Band at the TIB Amphitheater, at Islamorada’s Founders Park. John Philip Sousa IV narrated the concert.

"His marches are very patriotic and hopefully that will make his music timeless. His style was very disciplined. He was very disciplined in the way he wrote his music and in the way he managed his band. Young kids come up to me and go ‘wow’ , I didn’t know about this music,’ and some of them I know have downloaded Sousa music on their iPods.”

Born in 1854, John Philip Sousa is regarded as one of America’s most famous conductors in addition to being lauded as a composer. In 1987, Congress recognized “Stars and Stripes Forever” as the national march of the United States.