Ruth Brown

Ruth Brown

Ruth Alston Brown, born on January 12, 1928, was an influential American singer-songwriter and actress, often referred to as the "Queen of R&B." She brought a pop music style to R&B music in the 1950s with a series of hit songs for Atlantic Records, including "So Long," "Teardrops from My Eyes," and "(Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean." Brown's success at Atlantic led to the label being dubbed "the house that Ruth built."


In addition to her musical achievements, Brown played a significant role in advocating for musicians' rights regarding royalties and contracts. Her efforts contributed to the founding of the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. She experienced a resurgence in her career in the mid-1970s and peaked in the 1980s.


Brown's performances in the Broadway musical Black and Blue earned her a Tony Award, and the original cast recording received a Grammy Award. In 1993, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and she received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016. Moreover, Brown was honored with induction into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in 2017.


In 2023, Rolling Stone recognized Brown's vocal talent by ranking her at number 146 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time. Notably, she is the aunt of rapper Rakim, further cementing her legacy in the world of music.


Ruth Brown was born in Portsmouth, Virginia, and was the eldest of seven siblings. She attended I. C. Norcom High School. Brown's father, who worked as a dockhand, directed the church choir at Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. Despite her father's involvement in the church choir, the young Ruth was more drawn to singing at USO shows and nightclubs, rebelling against her father's preferences. She found inspiration in the music of Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, and Dinah Washington.


In 1945, at the age of 17, Brown ran away from her home in Portsmouth along with trumpeter Jimmy Brown, whom she soon married. They embarked on a journey to perform in bars and clubs, and she spent a month with Lucky Millinder's orchestra, marking the beginning of her musical career.


Blanche Calloway, the sister of Cab Calloway and also a bandleader, played a pivotal role in Ruth Brown's career by arranging a gig for her at the Crystal Caverns, a nightclub in Washington, D.C., and subsequently becoming her manager. Willis Conover, who would later become the Voice of America disc jockey, saw Brown perform with Duke Ellington and recommended her to Atlantic Records executives Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson.


However, Brown's plans to audition were disrupted by a car accident, which led to a nine-month hospital stay. Remarkably, she signed with Atlantic Records from her hospital bed.
In 1948, Ertegun and Abramson traveled from New York City to Washington, D.C., to hear Brown sing. While her repertoire mainly consisted of popular ballads, Ertegun persuaded her to transition to rhythm and blues.


Her first major hit came with "So Long" in 1949, followed by "Teardrops from My Eyes" in 1950, which was her first upbeat major hit. Written by Rudy Toombs, it became Billboard's R&B number one for 11 weeks and earned her the nickname "Miss Rhythm."


Brown's string of hits continued with songs like "I'll Wait for You" (1951), "I Know" (1951), "5-10-15 Hours" (1953), "(Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean" (1953), "Oh What a Dream" (1954), "Mambo Baby" (1954), and "Don't Deceive Me" (1960), some of which were credited to Ruth Brown and the Rhythm Makers. Her records stayed on the R&B chart for a total of 149 weeks between 1949 and 1955, with 21 Top 10 hits, including five number ones.


Brown's popularity extended to racially segregated venues in the southern United States, where she toured extensively. She was a prominent figure in the music scene, often compared to the popularity of Coca-Cola in the South.
Her crossover success in the pop charts began with "Lucky Lips" in 1957, followed by "This Little Girl's Gone Rockin'" in 1958. Despite her success in the R&B charts, her popularity waned in the 1960s as she focused on her role as a housewife and mother.


After a hiatus, Ruth Brown returned to music in 1975 at the encouragement of comedian Redd Foxx, which led to a series of comedic acting roles. She transitioned to television, film, and stage, earning accolades for her performances. Notably, she had a recurring role in the sitcom Hello, Larry and starred as Motormouth Maybelle Stubbs in John Waters' film Hairspray. On Broadway, she showcased her talent in productions like Amen Corner and Black and Blue, winning a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 1989.


Brown's advocacy for musicians' rights and royalties resulted in the founding of the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1988. She received the Pioneer Award and won a Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Female, for her album "Blues and Broadway" in 1989. Additionally, she was inducted into the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.


Throughout her career, Brown collaborated with artists like Charles Brown and toured with Bonnie Raitt. Her autobiography, "Miss Rhythm," received the Gleason Award for music journalism. She continued to be recognized for her contributions to music, earning Grammy nominations and appearing in various projects, including the television miniseries Little Richard.


Brown remained active in the music industry, hosting the radio program Blues Stage and touring well into her later years. She was involved in preproduction for the Danny Glover film "Honeydripper" before her passing. Her last interview took place in August 2006, and her recording of "Things About Comin' My Way" was released posthumously on the film's soundtrack CD.

References

1.  Obituary. The New York Times, November 18, 2006. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
2. ^ Dates of birth and death. Death-records.mooseroots.com. Accessed January 29, 2016.
3. ^ Profile with dates of birth and death Archived August 22, 2017, at the Wayback Machine. Biography.com. Accessed January 29, 2016.
4. ^ Obituary. Washingtonpost.com. Accessed January 29, 2016.
5. a b Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books. p. 96. ISBN 1-85868-255-X.
6. ^ Dahl, Bill. "Ruth Brown: Music Biography, Credits and Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved March 18, 2013.
7. ^ Gulla, Bob (2008). Icons of R&B and Soul. ABC-CLIO. p. 76. ISBN 9780313340451. Retrieved September 7, 2015.