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Tommy Brown, blues singer, 1931-2016
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Will Dockery
Mar 13, 2016, 10:49:12 AM3/13/16
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Tommy Brown, blues singer, 1931-2016
News from Madeleine Davis, blues legend Tommy Brown has passed away:
"My friend Judge Richard Brown informed me last night his father, the great Tommy Brown has passed. He was to be special guest at Ma Rainey International Blues Festival 2016... Rest In Peace.You were so excited to be coming to Columbus for Ma Rainey Festival. We will dedicate our festival to you."
==================================================================
http://www.tommybrownblues.com/
Tommy Brown, hailed during the 1950s as "one of the most dynamic entertainers in show business," has spent most of the past four decades out of the performing spotlight, but his resume of vintage records, onstage theatrics and a 21st century career revival have brought him long overdue recognition among current blues aficionados. Brown was a friend of fellow Georgia singer and 2015 Blues Hall of Fame inductee Little Richard when both were starting out, and he remembers letting Richard sleep in his station wagon when times were tough. A young James Brown picked up cues for his fabled stage show from both of them.
Brown was born... on May 27, 1931, and began performing as a dancer when he was in the first grade. He also worked as a drummer before he became a stand-up singer. But he did much more than stand, as the Atlanta Daily World reported in 1953: ". . . he jumped off the stage, fell prostrate on the floor, got up, banged his head on the wall then fell down on his knees and wailed the blues." Brown began recording in 1950 and sang (and sobbed) on the No. 1 R&B hit Weepin' and Cryin' with the Griffin Brothers in 1951. The song evolved from a real life experience, when he broke down while singing onstage as he saw his fiancé walk in with another man. Humor was an important part of his show, however, and in the 1960s he began performing and recording as a comedian.
After stays in St. Louis, Chicago (where he teamed on shows with Otis Clay), and New York, Brown settled back in Atlanta in 1977 to run the Landmark West Personal Care Center, a business his mother had founded. After fans sought him out to interview him and book him on festivals in the U.S. and Europe, he began traveling and recording again in the new millennium. His Classic Tommy Brown CD, on his own Chittlin' Circuit label, reintroduced listeners to the rocking, crying and shouting blues he waxed on labels such as Savoy, King, United and Imperial. "I'm looking to retire at 103." he says, "and take up a new profession -- teach people how to love." - Source, The Blues Foundation
-From The Blues Foundation's 2015 Blues Hall of Fame induction of Tommy Brown
=========================================================
Adios, King.
News from Madeleine Davis, blues legend Tommy Brown has passed away:
"My friend Judge Richard Brown informed me last night his father, the great Tommy Brown has passed. He was to be special guest at Ma Rainey International Blues Festival 2016... Rest In Peace.You were so excited to be coming to Columbus for Ma Rainey Festival. We will dedicate our festival to you."
==================================================================
http://www.tommybrownblues.com/
Tommy Brown, hailed during the 1950s as "one of the most dynamic entertainers in show business," has spent most of the past four decades out of the performing spotlight, but his resume of vintage records, onstage theatrics and a 21st century career revival have brought him long overdue recognition among current blues aficionados. Brown was a friend of fellow Georgia singer and 2015 Blues Hall of Fame inductee Little Richard when both were starting out, and he remembers letting Richard sleep in his station wagon when times were tough. A young James Brown picked up cues for his fabled stage show from both of them.
Brown was born... on May 27, 1931, and began performing as a dancer when he was in the first grade. He also worked as a drummer before he became a stand-up singer. But he did much more than stand, as the Atlanta Daily World reported in 1953: ". . . he jumped off the stage, fell prostrate on the floor, got up, banged his head on the wall then fell down on his knees and wailed the blues." Brown began recording in 1950 and sang (and sobbed) on the No. 1 R&B hit Weepin' and Cryin' with the Griffin Brothers in 1951. The song evolved from a real life experience, when he broke down while singing onstage as he saw his fiancé walk in with another man. Humor was an important part of his show, however, and in the 1960s he began performing and recording as a comedian.
After stays in St. Louis, Chicago (where he teamed on shows with Otis Clay), and New York, Brown settled back in Atlanta in 1977 to run the Landmark West Personal Care Center, a business his mother had founded. After fans sought him out to interview him and book him on festivals in the U.S. and Europe, he began traveling and recording again in the new millennium. His Classic Tommy Brown CD, on his own Chittlin' Circuit label, reintroduced listeners to the rocking, crying and shouting blues he waxed on labels such as Savoy, King, United and Imperial. "I'm looking to retire at 103." he says, "and take up a new profession -- teach people how to love." - Source, The Blues Foundation
-From The Blues Foundation's 2015 Blues Hall of Fame induction of Tommy Brown
=========================================================
Adios, King.
Will Dockery
Mar 13, 2016, 11:47:08 AM3/13/16
to
Tommy Brown just passed away yesterday. Here is his Wikipedia biography, giving the few details we know, so far:
==============================================================
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Brown_(singer)
Thomas A. Brown, known as Tommy Brown (born May 27, 1931, died March 12, 2016) was an American R&B singer, who achieved most of his success in the early 1950s, particularly on records with The Griffin Brothers.
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Brown formed a small band with himself as the drummer in the 1940s, and worked in clubs around Atlanta. In 1949 he recorded "Atlanta Boogie" on the Regent label, a subsidiary of Savoy Records.[1] The track contained early references to rock and roll :
Well, the whole town's rockin' just about the break of day
Well, when the bar starts jumpin' you can hear the cats all say
Well, let's rock'n'roll, well, let's rock'n'roll
Yes, let's rock'n'roll till the break of day...[2]
In 1951 he moved on to Dot where he was teamed with the Griffin Brothers, an R&B orchestra led by brothers Jimmy Griffin (trombone) and Ernest "Buddy" Griffin (piano) from Norfolk, Virginia. They had toured widely with Amos Milburn, Paul Williams and others, and recorded as the backing band for Margie Day on two R&B Top 10 hits, "Street Walkin' Daddy" and "Little Red Rooster".
In August of that same year Brown was featured singer on the R&B Top 10 hit "Tra-La-La", credited to the Griffin Brothers Orchestra, and later in the year the combination reached # 1 on the R&B chart with "Weepin' and Cryin'", credited to The Griffin Brothers Orchestra featuring Tommy Brown.
In early 1952, Brown was called up for military service, and when he returned in October of the same year, he moved to United Records in Chicago. While Brown was away, his previous label released the "No News From Home" single, which was recorded from earlier sessions, in March 1952.[4] He played for a while in Bill Doggett's band, and claimed to help write Doggett's hit "Honky Tonk". He also recorded with Walter Horton during this period.[5] Over the next decade he recorded R&B for a number of smaller labels, before starting to perform and record as a comedian in the 1960s and 1970s. He released two live albums for his comedy act, 1967's I Ain't Lyin' and I Ain't Lyin' Vol. 2 a year later.
In 1977, Brown returned to Atlanta to run the Landmark Personal Care Center. After fans sought a return in his musical career, Brown made a comeback in 2001, recording and performing around the world in blues festivals. His past recordings have also been reissued on compilation albums.[7] On May 6, 2015, Brown was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in Memphis.[8]
Death in 2016
Madeleine Davis, former singer with the pop band Boney_M and currently organizer of the Ma Rainey Blues Festival in Columbus, Georgia on April 24 2016, reported this morning that blues legend Tommy Brown has passed away:
"My friend, Judge Richard Brown informed me last night his father, the great Tommy Brown has passed away. He was to be special guest at our Ma Rainey International Blues Festival in April 2016. Rest In Peace. Mr. Brown was so excited to be coming to Columbus, Georgia for the Ma Rainey Festival. We will dedicate our festival to him."
Larry Chastain of Atlanta, Georgia wrote on March 13, 2016: "Our beloved singer and comedian Thomas A. Brown succumbed to his many illnesses last night. Tommy was 84 years old. Having been in hospice care for several weeks, he was well cared for and was well fussed-over by his family members. I got to see him and some family members yesterday, but he was totally sedated and we could not talk. Mr. Brown accomplished much in his very long career and was finally recognized properly by being inducted (along with Eric Clapton and Little Richard) into the Blues Hall of Fame. He will be missed by so many people whose lives he touched."
===============================================================
And... so... well, you know.
==============================================================
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Brown_(singer)
Thomas A. Brown, known as Tommy Brown (born May 27, 1931, died March 12, 2016) was an American R&B singer, who achieved most of his success in the early 1950s, particularly on records with The Griffin Brothers.
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Brown formed a small band with himself as the drummer in the 1940s, and worked in clubs around Atlanta. In 1949 he recorded "Atlanta Boogie" on the Regent label, a subsidiary of Savoy Records.[1] The track contained early references to rock and roll :
Well, the whole town's rockin' just about the break of day
Well, when the bar starts jumpin' you can hear the cats all say
Well, let's rock'n'roll, well, let's rock'n'roll
Yes, let's rock'n'roll till the break of day...[2]
In 1951 he moved on to Dot where he was teamed with the Griffin Brothers, an R&B orchestra led by brothers Jimmy Griffin (trombone) and Ernest "Buddy" Griffin (piano) from Norfolk, Virginia. They had toured widely with Amos Milburn, Paul Williams and others, and recorded as the backing band for Margie Day on two R&B Top 10 hits, "Street Walkin' Daddy" and "Little Red Rooster".
In August of that same year Brown was featured singer on the R&B Top 10 hit "Tra-La-La", credited to the Griffin Brothers Orchestra, and later in the year the combination reached # 1 on the R&B chart with "Weepin' and Cryin'", credited to The Griffin Brothers Orchestra featuring Tommy Brown.
In early 1952, Brown was called up for military service, and when he returned in October of the same year, he moved to United Records in Chicago. While Brown was away, his previous label released the "No News From Home" single, which was recorded from earlier sessions, in March 1952.[4] He played for a while in Bill Doggett's band, and claimed to help write Doggett's hit "Honky Tonk". He also recorded with Walter Horton during this period.[5] Over the next decade he recorded R&B for a number of smaller labels, before starting to perform and record as a comedian in the 1960s and 1970s. He released two live albums for his comedy act, 1967's I Ain't Lyin' and I Ain't Lyin' Vol. 2 a year later.
In 1977, Brown returned to Atlanta to run the Landmark Personal Care Center. After fans sought a return in his musical career, Brown made a comeback in 2001, recording and performing around the world in blues festivals. His past recordings have also been reissued on compilation albums.[7] On May 6, 2015, Brown was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in Memphis.[8]
Death in 2016
Madeleine Davis, former singer with the pop band Boney_M and currently organizer of the Ma Rainey Blues Festival in Columbus, Georgia on April 24 2016, reported this morning that blues legend Tommy Brown has passed away:
"My friend, Judge Richard Brown informed me last night his father, the great Tommy Brown has passed away. He was to be special guest at our Ma Rainey International Blues Festival in April 2016. Rest In Peace. Mr. Brown was so excited to be coming to Columbus, Georgia for the Ma Rainey Festival. We will dedicate our festival to him."
Larry Chastain of Atlanta, Georgia wrote on March 13, 2016: "Our beloved singer and comedian Thomas A. Brown succumbed to his many illnesses last night. Tommy was 84 years old. Having been in hospice care for several weeks, he was well cared for and was well fussed-over by his family members. I got to see him and some family members yesterday, but he was totally sedated and we could not talk. Mr. Brown accomplished much in his very long career and was finally recognized properly by being inducted (along with Eric Clapton and Little Richard) into the Blues Hall of Fame. He will be missed by so many people whose lives he touched."
===============================================================
And... so... well, you know.
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