Although he attended school at California State University in Fullerton and taught the newly organized Anaheim Kingsmen from 1965 to 1967, each summer he would return to teach and perform with his hometown corps.
In 1968, Fred moved to northern California where he attended San Jose State University and studied percussion with Tony Cirone.
Following his graduation from San Jose State in 1970, he taught high school music programs in Bergenfield, New Jersey where he met Dennis DeLucia.
"Fred Sanford made his mark on the world of percussion with his extraordinary arrangements for the Santa Clara Vanguard," recalls DeLucia.
In addition to his drum & bugle corps experiences, Sanford was the percussion coordinator for the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and also worked with the McDonald's All-American Band at various national parades.