Sweet Chauncy Brown: Dancing the Night Away

By William H. (Mike) du Pont

I went to my first dance when I was 13.

In the 1950s, boys didn’t wear tuxedos until they were 15 or 16 so I wore a blue suit to this party, a dinner dance held at Huntlands near the Foxcroft School.

Huntlands was occupied by Compte Guy de La Frigoniere, his wife and her daughter, Betty. When dinner was announced we proceeded to a fully set table and were served from silver platters—full manners on! I was seated next to Betty, the hostess—double manners on!

After dinner we escorted our partners to the ballroom. Mrs. De La Frigoniere and one of her friends guided through the proper etiquette of asking our partner to dance, escorting her to the dance floor and back to her seat, then fetching her a glass of punch.

The music was provided by a three- or four-piece band led by the great Chauncy Brown. Altogether, it was a lovely party, quite fun and an education.

When my mother came to pick me up, she was fascinated to know all about the party, finally getting around to asking who provided the music.

“Chauncy Brown,” I said. Somewhat wistfully, she replied, “Well now, Chauncy Brown played at the first dance I ever attended, too.”

Born near Middleburg, he grew up in that area and began learning to play the guitar as a boy. He joined the army in the early 1940s and fought in France in World War II, but had established himself as a musician earlier.

After the war, he put together a dance band and soon came into demand all around Northern Virginia. He developed a jazzy style and played at dances, hunt breakfasts, debut parties, and a variety of other social events.

Many were held at Upperville’s Buchanan Hall, the perfect venue for a good dance two or three times a summer. Those gatherings became very popular, and of course, Chauncy Brown was our music maker.

The nights were hot, the music great and the dancing fast and furious. Claudia Saffer (Young) and Sandy Young were the best dancers. Claudia’s older brother, Tommy, had a nice voice and at some point in the evening, he could always be counted on to take to the Courtesy Photo The great Chauncy Brown stage and belt out “Sweet Georgia Brown.”

Chauncy Brown wrote that song for his business manager/wife, and early on, Chauncy’s friend and mentor, Duke Ellington, the great band leader, popularized this song all over the country. A few years later, the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team made it their theme music.

Just prior to one of those great Buchanan Hall dances, I’d heard about a potent adult beverage, Old Mr. Mack. I paid $1.69 and proudly took my bottle to the dance, and ended up drinking most of it myself.

It didn’t take long for me soon become sleepydopey-sick, and was deposited in Phil Thomas’ car. When he and his date reached the car, it was a terrible mess, but Phil has been a good (and forgiving) friend to me ever since.

Two other good friends, John and Timmy Riley, gave me a lift home. But my condition was such that I wasn’t allowed in the car. I was placed on the right front fender As we approached my house, my father was sitting on the front steps.

They drove right up to him, slammed on the brakes and dumped me on the gravel at my father’s feet. He took one look at me and said “Go to bed, sleep it off and then cut the grass!!”

Some Buchanan Hall dances ended well. Some did not.

William H. (Mike) du Pont is a long-time Middleburg resident and former MFH of the Orange County Hounds.

The great Chauncy Brown