Les Brown Big Band Weekend

04/08/2026

The LBBBWeekend was featured on WVIA's ArtScene.

David Minnich, Les Brown's cousin, founding committee member & patron of the annualfestival, and Joel Guldin, prominent music educator & band director in the WilliamsValley School District, organizer & committee chair, for the annual event to honorLes Brown & his legacy, speaking about Les Brown's f...

04/04/2026

Attend the LB Festival and you'll receive an admission token commemorating this year.

03/30/2026

If you don't receive our emailed newsletter, here is the link to the April issue.

03/28/2026

If you don't attend this year's April 11 festival you'll miss your ONLY chance to meet Band of Renown trumpet legend Hal Espinosa in PERSON! Hal played in the band during the USO Vietnam tours and the Dean Martin Show.

03/26/2026

You want Les? At the 2026 Weekend you'll hear MORE of Les & the Band of Renown than ever before!

03/23/2026

Did you know at the 2012 Festival, the town of Reinerton, birthplace of Les, renamed a road in Les' honor? Below is the presentation of that road sign by township rep. Brad Daub & Festival rep. Monica Romberger to the Brown relatives. That road is located at the corner of his birthplace, both of which you can visit prior to your attending the 2026 Weekend from Apr. 9-11.

03/19/2026

Take time to watch this clip from the Dean Martin Show (1-12-67) with Leslie Uggams singing J. Hill's arrangement of Fascinating Rhythm with the Band of Renown's Jack Sperling featured on a double bass drum drum set (starting at 14:15)

The way The Dean Martin Show was meant to be aired.Guests include Jackie Mason, Leslie Uggams, Eddie Foy Jr, Allen & Rossi, & Pat Boone in closet. Songs incl...

03/18/2026

Repost or share with a Legion or VFW near you. Help us get the word out. Thanks.

03/17/2026

Plaid jackets in the 1950s---how cool! Wear yours to the LBBB Weekend and we'll give you free admission.

03/17/2026

It is so fun to listen to Dean & the Mills Brothers that it is hard to concentrate on the fantastic music arrangement played by the Band of Renown.

Included in this medley are "You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You" & "Bye Bye Blackbird."

03/14/2026

Our 2026 festival honorees "back in the day". Trombonist Jack Redmond (front row, right) and trumpeter Hal Espinosa (back row, left). Want to see them "in the day"? Get to the Festival on April 11 at 5 pm in the Williams Valley HS auditorium.
(Stumpy is front, left).

02/12/2025

Here's a condensed bio of Les

Lester Raymond Brown was an American jazz musician who led the big band Les Brown and His Band of Renown for nearly seven decades from 1938 to 2000. Brown i...