Donnellson Illinois Farmer Boys Rural Brass Band 1910–1915 Real Photo Postcard
The Farmer Boys Band of Donnellson, Illinois, represents a widespread phenomenon of community musical ensembles prevalent in early 20th-century rural America. Donnellson, a small agricultural village in Montgomery County, Illinois, like many similar towns, fostered local talent to provide entertainment and civic pride. These amateur groups were typically composed of local residents, including farmers and tradesmen, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of their members.
Such bands served as a central feature of social life, performing at local fairs, parades, dances, and public concerts, thereby strengthening community bonds. The instrumentation, featuring a range of brass and woodwind instruments alongside percussion, is typical of concert and marching bands of the 1910s and 1920s, an era when live music was a primary form of entertainment before the widespread advent of radio and recorded sound.
Such bands served as a central feature of social life, performing at local fairs, parades, dances, and public concerts, thereby strengthening community bonds. The instrumentation, featuring a range of brass and woodwind instruments alongside percussion, is typical of concert and marching bands of the 1910s and 1920s, an era when live music was a primary form of entertainment before the widespread advent of radio and recorded sound.
