Ruth Brown “Miss Rhythm” the Queen of R&B
Before Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner or Beyonce, there was Ruth Brown – the legendary rhythm and blues singer known as “Miss Rhythm. She was an icon of Fifties R&B music, and a celebrated theater, film, TV, and radio star. Browns fearless advocacy for musician’s rights and royalty reform led to the formation of the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. Best known for her number one hit songs “Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean,” “Teardrops From My Eyes” and “5-10-15 Hours”, Ruth Brown was instrumental in shaping the sound of modern music and paving the way for future generations of female artists. Her powerhouse voice, sassy squeal, and dynamic performances brought such worldwide success to Atlantic Records in the 1950’s, the record label was known as “The House that Ruth Built!”
Born in Portsmouth Virginia in 1928, Brown began singing in the church, performing at local talent shows and eventually singing at USO shows and nightclubs against the wishes of her father. After winning amateur night at Harlem’s Apollo Theater in 1948, Brown was hired by the popular big band leader Lucky Millender. While on tour with Millender, Brown was fired and left stranded in Washington, D.C. with no money. To survive, Brown began singing at a local club, where radio personality Willis Conover heard her perform with Duke Ellington’s band. Conover recommend Brown to Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson, owners of the fledgling record label, Atlantic Records who needed a new talent. On her way to New York to sign her Atlantic contract, Brown was seriously injured in an automobile accident that hospitalized her for a year. Ertegun and Abramson stuck by Brown, and she soon repaid their loyalty with her first hit “So Long” in 1949, followed by her number one hit in 1950” Teardrops from My Eyes” which remained number one for 11 weeks on the Billboard R&B Charts. Between 1949 and 1955, Brown’s records stayed on the R&B charts for a total of 149 weeks; she would go on to score 21 Top 10 hits all together, including five that landed at number one on the charts.
During the 1960s, Brown faded from public view and lived as a housewife and mother.
After a considerable amount of struggle, Brown returned to music in 1975 at the urging of comedian Redd Foxx. He helped relaunch her career with a series of TV appearances on his hit TV show Sanford and Son. The remarkable second phase of Brown’s career saw her shine again on TV, film, and the stage. In 1987 she starred In Allen Toussaint’s musical “Stagger Lee” and in 1989 she won a Tony Award for Best Actress in the musical “Black and Blue”. Brown went on to endear herself to a whole new generation of fans for her portrayal of Motor Mouth Mabel Stubbs in John Waters cult classic film “Hairspray” and as a host of the popular NPR radio show “Blues Stage”. Brown’s fight for musicians’ rights and royalties led to the founding of the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1988 and she was one of the first recipients in 1989 of the Foundation’s Pioneer Award. Also in 1989, Brown won a Grammy for best jazz vocal performance for her album “Blues and Broadway,” she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. Brown was also awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016 and inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in 2017.
Ruth Brown died in Las Vegas Nevada on November 17, 2006, at the age of 78 years old. A memorial concert was held on January 22, 2007, at the historical Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem to celebrate her life and legacy. Ruth Brown is the definition of a musical pioneer with her backbeat-heavy sound and saucy vocal style. The fabulous Miss Rhythm broke new ground and was a game changing artist. Her legacy lives on forever in her music, performances, and advocacy on the behalf of artist and musicians who where not fairly compensated by the music industry. In 2023 the play “Miss Rhythm “The Legend of Ruth Brown” was launched to critical acclaim in Denver Colorado. The Estate of Ruth Brown is working on several projects that will continue to amplify her life and legacy.