Winner of the 1966 Brownwood Stage Band Festival (large school category) was Robert E. Lee High School (Houston) Edward Trongone, director.
Bill Tillman was the Outstanding Musician of the festival. Bill went on to play with Blood, Sweat, & Tears, plus have his own band in Dallas for years. He died in 2012 at the age of 65.
The winner of the 1967 Brownwood Stage Band Festival (large school category)–The Paschal High School Stage Band–Fort Worth, TX. This tune is “Another Excuse To Play The Blues”. Philip Hewett, director.
The winner of the 1965 Brownwood Stage Band Festival (large school category)–The Kimball (Dallas) High School Stage Band. Steve Bayless–director.
The Longview TX High School Stage Band-1964. Winner of the Brownwood Stage Band Festival (large school category). Dan Rotondo, director.
The winner of the 1963 Brownwood Stage Band Festival (large school category) was the Longview High School Stage Band. Dan Rotondo, director
My Funny Valentine & A Foggy Day were the tunes they played. 2/23/1963
Winner of the 1962 Brownwood Stage Band Festival–The Texarkana High School Stage Band. Jazz Education history in Texas.
Recorded 2/24/1962 in Brownwood, TX. Bill Briggs, director. “My Old Flame”, &” Stomping at the Savoy”. They were the winner in the AAAA (largest school) category. Stan Kenton was one of the judges.
Jazz History in Texas. This is a recording of the winning band in the large school category (AAAA) at the prestigious Brownwood Stage Band Festival in 1961. Lamar (Houston), Edward Trongone, director.
1961 was the first year of recordings of the winning bands. The contest started in 1951, and ran until 1976.