Main Street Brass

Main Street Brass of Cynthiana, those guys who appeared in their spiffy stars and stripes hats last year, return to this year's festival with a mix of patriotic, religious, pop, show tunes and old standards.

The group, which began playing in 1991, got its name after one of the members noted that most of the players were members of churches located on Cynthiana's Main Street.

The group's first performance was a collection of patriotic music dedicated to the troops and families of Desert Storm. Since then, word spread and the group has performed at weddings, private banquets, charitable benefits and as the opening act for the Florida Boys gospel group concert in Cynthiana. It has also played bicentennial celebrations in several area communities.

The members come from diverse backgrounds but all are former members of the high school band. For most, it had been 15 to 25 years since they played a brass instrument. One member even switched from clarinet to tuba.

The lead cornet player, Stanley Fizer, is a retired band director who had three of the band members as students. Tuba player Frazier McKinney is the former junior high band director of two group members. The other members are Denny Ham, alto horn and cornet; Jerry Scott, cornet, flugelhorn and alto horn; Bill Selin, cornet, alto horn and French horn; and Jim Lee, percussion.