Ruth Brown - one of the main singers of the 50s, performing compositions in the style of Rhythm & Blues. The dark-skinned singer was the epitome of sophisticated early jazz and crazy blues. She was a talented diva who tirelessly defended the rights of musicians.
The early years and early career of Ruth Brown
Ruth Alston Weston was born on January 12, 1928 in a large family of ordinary workers. The parents and seven children lived in the small town of Portsmouth, Virginia. The father of the future star combined the work of a port loader with singing in the choir at the church.
Despite the hopes of his father, the future star did not follow in his footsteps, but, on the contrary, took up performances in nightclubs. She also took part in concerts for soldiers. At seventeen, the girl ran away from her parents with her boyfriend, with whom she soon started a family.
After the wedding, the newlyweds united in a duet and continued to perform in bars. For a short time, the young vocalist collaborated with the orchestra, but was soon fired. Blanche Calloway made a contribution to the further development of the career of the young singer, who helped organize the performance of the performer in a famous nightclub in the capital.
It was at this concert that the aspiring singer was noticed by a representative of the Voice of America radio station and recommended her to the young company Atlantic Records. Due to a car accident in which the girl got, the audition took place only after nine months. Despite the illness and the long wait for the meeting, the girl's musical data greatly pleased the representatives of the company.
The first success and major hits of Ruth Brown
During the first audition, the vocalist sang the ballad "So Long", which immediately became her first hit after the studio recording. Ruth Brown was one of the first artists to sign with the founders of Atlantic. For 10 years, she hit the Billboard R&B charts with all the songs she recorded for Atlantic.
The song titled "Teardrops from My Eyes" stayed at the top of all the charts for 11 weeks in a row. The singer's success as one of R&B's most talented performers earned her the nicknames "Little Miss Rhythm" as well as "The Girl with a Tear in Her Voice".
Due to the dizzying success of the singer, the recording studio was called "the house that Ruth built" at all. Such a flattering statement was not unreasonable, because her songs lifted a young little-known company to the top. Atlantic Records became the most successful independent label of the 1950s.
From 1950-1960, many of Ruth Brown's compositions became hits. The most popular singles to this day are:
- "I'll Wait for You";
- "5-10-15 Hours";
- "I Know";
- "Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean";
- "Oh What a Dream";
- "Mambo Baby";
- "Sweet Baby of Mine";
- Don't Deceive Me.
Revival of interest in Ruth Brown
In 1960, the performer went into the shadows and took up the education of her only son. By the end of the 1960s, the once popular star was on the brink of poverty. To support her family, the woman worked as a school bus driver and worked as a servant.
Her life and career began to change for the better only in the mid-1970s. Longtime friend, comedian Redd Foxx invited her to participate in his variety show. More than 20 years ago, the singer provided financial assistance to the man. And now he also did not stand aside and helped the star regain popularity and financial stability.
Roles in films and musicals Ruth Brown
After 4 years, the performer starred in the comedy series Hello Larry. In 1983, the woman was given a role in the Broadway musical At the Corner of Amen. The performance was based on a play by the famous American writer James Baldwin.
Participation in the musical was not in vain, and in 1988 director John Samuel invited the singer to his cult film Hairspray. There she brilliantly played the role of the owner of a music store, actively fighting for the rights of blacks.
A year later, Ruth Brown again tried her hand as an actress on Broadway in the musical Black and Blue. Participation in this musical brought the singer a victory in the prestigious theater award "Tony". In addition, the album "Blues on Broadway", the songs from which were played in the musical, was awarded the prestigious Grammy music award.
Outside of her stage life, Ruth Brown has been an active advocate for musicians' rights. This eventually led her to form an independent foundation that sought to preserve the history of R&B. The Foundation helped organize financial assistance to artists, as well as defended their rights before unscrupulous record companies.
Ruth Brown's later years
By 1990, the singer received another award for her autobiography Miss Rhythm. After 3 years, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the honorary inscription "The Queen Mother of the Blues." Until 2005, the singer regularly toured.
Only in November 2006, at the age of 78, the star died in a Las Vegas hospital. The cause of death was the consequences of an early heart disease. After the death of the singer, many concerts were organized in memory of Ruth Brown, one of the brightest R&B performers.
