ALL  ABOUT (in English)

Long John and his Ballroom Kings started 2010, but the band's history is going way back to a western swing band that was established in 1993. 

Music has a melody - music has lyrics. They can be romantic, ridiculous or just plain blah-blah. Bebop is cat, lots of blah-blah, no message. Now, what do you get when you put a message into groovy Vout-o-Reenee swing? Long John and his Ballroom Kings! 

The repertoire offers songs of the 1940’s to 50’s that have been exported from Germany to France, Belgium and England. Between the swing & jive numbers, the stories keep the crowd smiling whether “you’re a die-hard history buff, a reenactor who irons his uniform every day, or just someone who dropped in by accident and stayed for the stories and dance”.

Long John & his Ballroom kings has built a strong reputation through appearances at venues including Berlin’s Wintergarten Varieté (a six-month engagement in 2011), Berlin’s City Hall, and prestigious gala events such as the “VBKI Ball der Wirtschaft”. Their extensive stage experience allows the group to perform (with guests) in a variety of formats, from an intimate ensemble to a full gala band with guest musicians, making them an ideal choice for cultural events, dance evenings, gala productions, and corporate functions. Since 2018 the show has a focus on the sound and stories of the Berlin Air Lift (aka Operation Vittles of 1948-1949). In the fall of 2020, several U.S. embassies across Europe took part in an internal music video competition initiated by Washington, D.C. Commissioned by the U.S. Embassy Berlin, JS. Strauss, bandleader of the Ballroom Kings, wrote and produced a musical theater play that was created and filmed (during COVID-19) in just under five weeks.The resulting Airlift Music Report was awarded third place by Washington, D.C., receiving the prestigious JFK Award. The band's most recent record release was issued in 2025 in celebration of the 80th birthday of the famous music producer Richard Weize. Long John occasionally is using the opportunity to pimp up the show with guests, e.g. The Voice of Dean Martin, Dino Crocchetta. 

Side note: The band leader was a service member of the U.S. Army in West Berlin, a non-military employee from 1990-1991. That is why the band is able to indulge its passion with technical mastery and perform with seasoned international flair.

Feel welcome to find guests on the above left menue, see brown box.

(You find the band on facebook and youtube.)