Don Smith Quartet Sat. March 28, 5 p.m. Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks Lodge #158 409 E. Lake Shore Drive, 217-529-0158 Officer installation for members and guests [email protected]

Don Smith and his various band incarnations get the braggin’ rights for longevity in central Illinois. The singing trumpet player began playing the area over 50 years ago and is still going strong, booking everything from a trio to an octet and beyond at bars, weddings, conventions, festivals and countless other functions.

This summer his big band will log a record 30 continuous years at the Illinois State Fair Twilight Ballroom. It’s definite old school here, with ballads, fox trots, vocal jazz, swing and even rock-n-roll played with old-fashioned musician talent on real instruments and backed by the slogan of, “our work is our play.” Members of the quartet include Don Smith, trumpet/flugelhorn/vocal, Dr. Bill French, piano, Rob Killam, bass, and Jerry Kusmaul, drums.

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