Oh, What a Dream

What are You All About? 

Today I'm going to share with you the story of Ruth Brown, "The Queen of R&B." She is a Grammy and Tony award winner and creator of the Rhythm and Blues Foundation that supports musicians' rights and royalties. Ruth is also one of the first recipients of the Pioneer Award in 1989. She was inducted into the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. She came out of a small port city with no money and no support, yet she always knew who she was and what she wanted to do. Ruth has a beautiful story, which shows us what is possible when we believe in ourselves.   

Ruth was born in Portsmouth, Virginia, on January 12, 1928, and was the oldest of seven siblings. Portsmouth is a small historic port and Naval shipyard in the southwest and across the Elizabeth River from Norfolk.  Her father was a dockhand in the shipyards but spent much of his free time directing the local church choir at Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Let's Mambo

Ruth Brown and Paul Williams perform at the Mambo Club in Wichita, Kansas, 1957

Ruth loved signing; however, the church was not her speed. She preferred singing at the USO or a cozy nightclub. Jazz was her true passion, and it made her feel connected to the people who came to hear her sing. Unfortunately, her father was not happy with his daughter's choice, but Ruth was a strong young woman who knew who she was and what she wanted to do.

Most importantly, Ruth had a deep spiritual connection to other black singers of the day. Back in the 1930s and 40s black female singers were getting a lot of attention for their vocal skills. Women like Sarah VaughanBillie Holiday, and Dinah Washington were idols to Ruth. She knew if she were going to make her mark on this life, it would be through her singing, and no one would stop her from the life she wanted.  

Did You Hear That? 

Near the end of WWII, 1945, Ruth had turned 17 and wanted to start her career. She ran away from home in Portsmouth with a trumpeter named Jimmy Brown, whom she soon married, to sing in bars and clubs. She spent a month with Lucky Millinder's orchestra when a young Blanche Calloway (Cab Calloway's sister) saw her act and loved it. She soon arranged a gig for Brown at the Crystal Caverns, a nightclub in Washington, D.C., and soon became her manager.  

Brown would start to tour the East Coast and have a loyal following of fans. One of Ruth's biggest fans was Willis Conover, a well-known jazz producer and broadcaster on the Voice of America. He recommended her to Atlantic Records bosses Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Unfortunately, Brown could not audition because of a car crash, resulting in a nine-month hospital stay. Ahmet & Herb were so focused on having her be a part of their record label that they had her sign a contract from her hospital bed. As a result, the minute Ruth was healed and ready to sing, Atlantic would have their new rising star on the radio. Both Ahmet and Herb knew that Brown was much more than a ballad singer; they felt she'd be a better fit for the newly popular rhythm and blues style of music. They were right.   

Atlantic Records logo

Everything is Coming up Rosie

For example, in her first audition, in 1949, she sang "So Long," which became her first hit. The song was followed by "Teardrops from My Eyes" in 1950, which was Brown's first upbeat major hit and was Billboard's R&B number one for 11 weeks. The hit earned her the nickname "Miss Rhythm," and she became the acknowledged queen of R&B within a few months.  

Meanwhile, She would record chart-toppers 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). Between 1949 and 1955, her records stayed on the R&B chart for a total of 149 weeks. Furthermore, she would score 21 Top 10 hits altogether, including five that landed at number one. Brown ranked No. 1 on The Billboard 1954 Disk Jockey Poll for Favorite R&B Artists.  

In the late 50s, Ruth partnered with Elvis' lyricist and composer of "Hond Dog," Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, and recorded "Lucky Lips" in 1957. The single reached number 6 on the R&B chart and number 25 on the U.S. pop chart. In 1958 she worked with Bobby Darin and Mann Curtis on "This Little Girl's Gone Rockin'," which reached number 7 on the R&B chart and 24 on the pop chart.  

One More Time 

Subsequently, Ruth had achieved great success but longed to raise her own family and settle down. She was able to bridge her love for singing and her passion for family. Meanwhile, her fans still called for her, and after 15 years of retirement, a close friend, Redd Foxx, urged her to return to singing and try her hand at acting. In 1975 Ruth re-launched her career in TV, film, and stage. She landed a recurring role during the second season of the sitcom Hello, Larry as the neighbor, Leona Wilson. In the John Waters cult classic film Hairspray, Brown also starred as Motormouth Maybelle Stubbs, a friendly but strong-willed record promoter and mother. On Broadway, Ruth starred in Amen Corner and earned a Tony Award in 1989 for Best Actress in the Musical in Black and Blue

Ruth's star was on the rise once again. She hosted the radio program Blues Stage, carried by more than 200 NPR affiliates for six years, and toured with Bonnie Raitt in the late 1990s. Her 1995 autobiographyMiss Rhythm, won the Gleason Award for music journalism. Meantime, she received a nomination for another Grammy in the Traditional Blues category for her 1997 album, R + B = Ruth Brown. In the 2000 television miniseries Little Richard, she was portrayed by singer Tressa Thomas.  

Comming My Way

Ruth continued to work on new projects into her late 70s. Unfortunately, she could not finish her final role in the Danny Glover film, Honeydripper. Still, her recording of "Things About Comin' My Way" was released posthumously on the soundtrack.

In summation, Ruth Brown did it all. She was a Grammy-winning R&B chart-topping singer, Tony award actor, Gleason-winning writer, advocate for musicians' rights, and most importantly, an amazing wife and mother. She did not take no for an answer, and she always was willing to go outside of her comfort zone to try something new. Brown embodied the spirit of knowing thy self, and we all were the benefactors of her gifts.

Trust in What You Know

I encourage you to do what you love. Not for money, awards or fame, just because you enjoy it. That enjoyment will always bring you peace of mind, and that peace will offer you so much more.  

I know this to be true.  Oh, What a Dream.    


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