History of the Central California Band Review
In 1960, Mr. Yell Nobles, an officer at a local bank and a member of American Legion Post #83, discussed with Postmaster John R. Hann and other community leaders the idea of having some kind of music festival to commemorate Veterans Day in Merced.
Fred A. Silveira, then City Attorney, acted on the idea and organized the first Central California Band Review (CCBR). It was held on November 11, 1960, with 11 bands participating. The Merced High School Marching Band and the Gaucho Marching Band from the newly formed El Captain High School (in operation from 1959 through 1962, until Merced High and El Captain combined to become one school with two campuses) were co-hosts for that review.
CCBR continued to be held in downtown Merced, except for one year when the competition was held on Yosemite Avenue in front of Merced College. For a brief time, from 2004 through 2006, CCBR was held in Madera. The sanctioning band organization asked for the event to return to Merced in 2007.
With bands performing from schools from all over the state, CCBR celebrated its 50th anniversary on Saturday, November 14, 2009, jointly hosted by Golden Valley High School and Atwater High School.
Photo from one of the first CCBR's that shows the awards ceremony being held on the steps of
the old Merced County Courthouse.
Photo courtesy of the Merced County Historical Society.
the old Merced County Courthouse.
Photo courtesy of the Merced County Historical Society.