Chuck Brown
Chuck Brown | |
---|---|
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. | |
Other names | The Godfather of Go-Go |
Occupations |
|
Musical career | |
Origin | Washington, D.C., U.S. |
Genres | |
Instrument(s) | Guitar |
Years active | 1960s–2012 |
Formerly of | The Soul Searchers |
Website | windmeupchuck.com |
Charles Louis Brown (August 22, 1936 – May 16, 2012) was an American guitarist, bandleader and singer known as "
Early life: 1936–1963
Brown was born on August 22, 1936, in
In the 1950s, Brown was convicted of murder and served eight years in
Music career
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Brown's musical career began in the 1960s playing guitar with many jazz musicians and soul singer
He influenced other go-go bands such as Trouble Funk, Experience Unlimited(EU), Rare Essence,[13] Hot Cold Sweat, Junk Yard Band, AM/FM, Slug-Go, Redds & the Boys,[14] Anwan Glover, the Backyard Band, and Little Benny and the Masters.
In the mid-1990s, he performed the theme music of
Brown played a blonde Gibson ES-335.[2][15]
Death and legacy
Brown died on May 16, 2012, at Baltimore's Johns Hopkins Hospital of multiple organ failure, including heart failure, at the age of 75. Several weeks prior to his death, he had postponed and cancelled shows due to hospitalization for pneumonia.[1][16] His interment was at Trinity Memorial Gardens in Waldorf, Maryland.
"Chuck [Brown] was like the Washington Monument. He was like Ben's Chili Bowl. He was the big chair. He was all of that. Chuck Brown was Washington, D.C. [...] People feel you when it's genuine, and Chuck was always that."
Donnie Simpson, Washington, D.C., radio and television personality[17]
Brown is called the "Godfather of Go-Go"
The
Awards and honors
Brown was a recipient of a 2005 National Heritage Fellowship awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts, which is the United States' highest honor in the folk and traditional arts.[21]
In 2009, the 1900 block of
He received his first Grammy Award nomination
On September 4, 2011, Brown was honored by the National Symphony Orchestra, as the NSO paid tribute to Legends of Washington Music Labor Day concert - honoring Brown's music, as well as Duke Ellington and John Philip Sousa - with a free concert on the West Lawn of the Capitol. Brown and his band capped off the evening with a performance.
In 2014, the Chuck Brown Memorial Park in Langdon neighborhood, Washington, D.C., was built to honor Brown. It features a memorial wall honoring his life and achievements, as well as a sculpture called "Wind Me Up, Chuck" signifying the "call and response" associated with go-go music.[23][24]
Discography
Studio albums
- We the People (1972)
- Salt of the Earth (1974)
- Bustin' Loose (1979)
- Funk Express (1980)
- We Need Some Money (1984)
- The Other Side (featuring Eva Cassidy) (1992)
- Hah Man (1994)
- Go-Go & Gumbo, Satchmo N Soul (1997)
- Timeless (1998)
- The Spirit of Christmas (1999)
- We're About the Business (2007)
- We Got This (2010)[25]
- Beautiful Life (2014)
Live albums
- Go Go Swing Live (1986)
- Any Other Way to Go? (1987)
- Live '87 – D.C. Bumpin' Y'all(1987)
- 90's Goin' Hard (1991)
- This Is a Journey...Into Time (1993)
- Your Game...Live at the 9:30 Club (2001)
- Put Your Hands Up! (2002)
Compilation albums
- Go-Go Crankin' (1985)
- Good to Go (1986)
- Go Go Live at the Capital Centre (1987)
- The Go Go Posse (1988)
- Let's Go Go Christmas (1995)
- Greatest Hits (1998)
- Best of Chuck Brown (2005)
Notes
- ^ a b "'Godfather of Go-Go,' Chuck Brown Dies". The Washington Informer. May 16, 2012. Archived from the original on May 20, 2012.
- ^ a b Smith, Craig (November 2, 2007). "Some More D.C. Flavor: Chuck Wound Me Up". Virginia Law Weekly. 60 (9). University of Virginia. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
- ^ "Chuck Brown Dead: D.C.'s 'Godfather Of Go Go' Dies At 75". HuffPost. May 16, 2012.
- ^ a b c Sisario, Ben (May 18, 2012). "Chuck Brown, Godfather of Go-Go, Dies at 75". The New York Times. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
- ^ Richards 2012, p. 1
- Viacom. Retrieved November 29, 2012.
- ^ a b c d Richards 2012, p. 2
- ^ Fusilli, Jim. "The Godfather of Go-Go". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved January 2, 2013.
- ^ "Soul Searchers". Rap Sample FAQ. The Breaks.com. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
- ^ "Ashley's Roachclip by The Soul Searchers". WhoSampled.com. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
- ^ Chuck Brown Bio Windmeupchuck.com/bio. Retrieved 16 March 2023
- ^ Chuck Brown We Need Some Money All music. Retrieved 22 March 2023
- ^ Rare Essence Retrieved 23 March 2023
- ^ Redds & the Boys Retrieved 23 March 2023
- ^ "Chuck Brown's Guitar Drove the Musician's Persuasive "Wind Me Up" Rhythm". Smithsonianmag.com.
- ^ "Chuck Brown dies: 'Godfather of Go-Go' passes away at 75". ABC Channel 7. May 16, 2012. Archived from the original on January 21, 2013. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
- ^ a b c Richards, Chris (May 16, 2012). "Chuck Brown's Music Impact: Deep Into Washington, and Beyond". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
- ^ Bogdanov 2003, p. 853
- ^ "Chuck Brown Dead: D.C.'s 'Godfather Of Go Go' Dies At 75". HuffPost. May 16, 2012.
- ^ "Soul Rebels at the Howard Theatre". Thehowardtheatre.com. Archived from the original on August 7, 2020. Retrieved April 7, 2012.
- ^ "NEA National Heritage Fellowships 2005". Arts.gov. National Endowment for the Arts. Archived from the original on May 21, 2020. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
- ^ "Grammy Awards 2011 Nominees List: Eminem Leads The Pack". Sawf News. December 2, 2010. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
- ^ "Chuck Brown Memorial Park Project". dc.gov. 2014. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
- ^ "Wind Me Up, Chuck". jackiebraitman.com. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
- ^ Maza, Erik (June 23, 2011). "Chuck Brown just Keeps on Going". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved November 29, 2012.
References
- Bogdanov, Vladimir (2003). All Music Guide to Soul: The Definitive Guide to R&B and Soul. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 9780879307448.
- Lornell, Kip; Stephenson, Charles (2009). The Beat: Go-Go Music from Washington, D.C. University Press of Mississippi. ISBN 9781604732412.
- Price, Emmett (2010). Encyclopedia of African American Music. Vol. 3. ISBN 9780313341991.
- Richards, Chris (May 16, 2012). "Chuck Brown dies: The 'Godfather of Go-Go' was 75". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 29, 2012.
External links
- Take Me to the Go-Go at IMDb(upcoming biographical film)
- "Chuck Brown: Go-Go Godfather's Gumbo". All Things Considered. Washington D.C. May 10, 2010. NPR. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
- Chang, Jeff. "Wind me up, Chuck!". San Francisco Bay Guardian. Archived from the original on March 15, 2005. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
- Baily, Nick (August 20, 2007). "Chuck Brown". Global Rhythm. Archived from the original on November 15, 2018. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
- Pareles, Jon (April 21, 2007). "Still Soulful, Still Swinging, Still Ready to Bust Loose". The New York Times. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
- Chuck Brown at IMDb
- Parker, Robin (October 4, 2009). "Chuck Brown's Long Dance". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 28, 2012.