Charles Brown

b. September 13, 1922 in Texas City, TX, d. January 21, 1999 in Oakland, CA. Brown's mother died only six months after he was born and he was raised by his grandparents. Despite learning piano and church organ at the insistence of his grandparents while a child, Brown became a teacher of chemistry. In 1943, living in Los Angeles, he realized that he could earn more money working as a pianist-singer. He was hired to play at singer Ivie Anderson's Chicken Shack club, but with the requirement that he play 'nothing degrading like the blues'. At that time, the top small group in Los Angeles was the Nat 'King' Cole Trio, but when Cole moved on, the Three Blazers, led by Johnny Moore (guitarist brother of Oscar Moore) and whom Brown had just joined, moved into the top spot. By 1946 the band was a national favourite, with hit records including Brown's 'Driftin' Blues', and appearances at New York's Apollo Theatre. In 1948 the group broke up, although Moore continued to lead a band with the same name, but he was now on his own and virtually unknown as a solo performer. In the early 50s a string of successful records, including his own compositions 'Merry Christmas Baby', 'Black Night' and 'Seven Long Days', boosted his career. Additionally, his work was recorded by such artists as B.B. King, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Amos Milburn and Fats Domino, with whom Brown recorded 'I'll Always Be In Love With You' and 'Please Believe Me'.

Brown was heavily influenced by Robert Johnson, Louis Jordan, and especially by Pha Terrell, the singer with the Andy Kirk band. His singing evolved into a highly melodic ballad style that still showed signs of his blues roots. He aptly defined himself as a 'blue ballad singer', combining the velvety sound of Cole with the tough cynicism of Leroy Carr and Lonnie Johnson. One follower was Ray Charles, who, early in his career, modelled his singing on an amalgam of Brown's and Cole's styles. In contrast to Cole, Brown's star waned, despite successful records such as 'Please Come Home For Christmas', and by the end of the 60s he was working in comparative obscurity at Los Angeles nightspots. An appearance at the 1976 San Francisco Blues Festival boosted his reputation, but the pattern remained pretty much unaltered into the 80s before he rebuilt his career with a succession of albums for Bullseye Blues. Brown's lasting reputation was confirmed by the guest artists he attracted to these recordings, including Bonnie Raitt, Dr. John and John Lee Hooker, while English singer Elvis Costello wrote 'I Wonder How She Knows' for him.

Brown carried on touring into the 90s, providing superb live entertainment, backed by his outstanding guitar player and musical director, Danny Caron. Ill health curtailed his appearances, but Brown received some belated reward with a lifetime achievement award from the Rhythm & Blues Foundation and a heritage fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. He died a few days after a major tribute concert was held in his honour and just two months before he was to have been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.