In a finale to the annual Les Brown Weekend Festival, the Schuylkill County Council for the Arts inducted his brother, Clyde "Stumpy" Brown, 88, into its Hall of Fame on Sunday night.
The event at the council's 1440 Mahantongo St., Pottsville, headquarters, began with a full room of guests listening to music by Kim Russell Seibert and Friends, who were also enjoying refreshments while waiting for the special guest, 'Stumpy' Brown, Les Brown's youngest brother, who plays bass trombone and managed the Band of Renown for 50 years.
Musicians included Kim Russell Seibert, Port Carbon, on piano and vocals, Roy Cumming on bass, Rudy Petschauer on drums and Paul Kendall on tenor sax.
The arts council's Gary McCready said a few words about Brown and then presented him with a plaque inducting him into the Schuylkill County Council for the Arts Hall of Fame 2014.
"I couldn't wait to come here this year," Brown said. "It's really great. I thank you for this."
Brown joked "it could have been a little larger."
Talking about Brown's history, McCready said that "Stumpy" followed his brother musically and educationally.
His father gave him lessons on the baritone, which he played at the New York Military Academy.
After graduating from college, he began playing with the Band of Renown and "became known as the band clown," playing with the band and managing it for 50 years.
Brown also said that he was born in Tower City.
"I can honestly say, from a personal perspective, as I was growing up, I aspired to be a national touring and recording artist," McCready said. "I was completely aware of Les Brown and your family. That paved the way that I felt if they could do that as Schuylkill County natives, I could do it too. I'm glad to say I had a wonderful career in that."
Schuylkill County Commissioner George Halcovage also spoke Sunday night.
"One of the great things is the years that he has given from his families to be there for our troops," Halcovage said. "The days and nights that he and the other band members and his brother had given to those in the community to make other people feel better about themselves. Music does make that difference. The arts make that difference."
Asked how he got is nickname, Brown said he didn't like the name "Stump," his first nickname.
He also said he once dated actress Debbie Reynolds.
Brown said that he and Reynolds would go dancing, but his wife was a better dancer, just "don't tell Debbie."
The weekend, which is a tribute to Big band leader and composer Les Brown, also included The Les Brown Dance on Friday night and The Les Brown Big Band Festival on Saturday, both at Williams Valley High School, Tower City.