Jazz Articles

Les Brown and His Band of Renown: Session #55

by Jack Bowers
September 1, 2001

Few bandleaders enjoyed longer or more successful careers than Les Brown. After coming out of Duke University in 1936, where he led his first dance band, the Blue Devils, Brown formed what would later become the Band of Renown in 1938. Les got a big break in 1947 when comedian Bob Hope hired the band to provide the music for his weekly radio (and later, television) programs. This led not only to a life–long friendship but to sixteen Christmas tours ...