Fans flock to Williams Valley for 10th annual Les Brown celebration

By Rob Wheary, Staff Writer
csrobwheary@gmail.com

TOWER CITY – Festivalgoers got a chance to go back in time musically as the Les Brown Big Band Festival presented the sounds of the 1940s and 1950s at Williams Valley High School and surrounding areas last weekend.
It was a weekend filled with stories, music and remembering as the festival honored noted big band leader Les Brown, a native of Reinerton and the leader of Les Brown and his Band of Renown.
Brown’s son, Les Brown Jr., who joined his father’s orchestra at the age of 15 and took over the orchestra when his father passed away in 2001, acted as master of ceremonies for the event, talking about the music that several school and community jazz bands played on the auditorium stage.
“You are talking about pieces of music that have been listened to over and over for the better part of 70 years,” Brown said. “It’s timeless music that you just don’t have today.”