Les Brown: The Band of Renown from Reinerton

Les Brown was born in Reinerton, Pennsylvania, and went on to lead one of the most beloved big bands in American popular music history. His orchestra, known as the Band of Renown, became a fixture of radio, television, and live performance across more than six decades.

Brown is perhaps best remembered for launching the career of Doris Day. In nineteen forty-five, she recorded Sentimental Journey with his band, and it became the number one hit of the year, a homecoming anthem for returning veterans that defined an era. Brown later became the long-running house bandleader for Bob Hope's legendary United Service Organizations tours and his NBC television specials, bringing his music to American troops overseas for decades. He also served as bandleader for Dean Martin. From a small town in central Pennsylvania, Les Brown built a career that accompanied some of the defining moments of mid-twentieth-century American entertainment.