Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

BROWN, Walter

(b 17 Aug. '17, Dallas; d June '56) Blues singer. Worked in Dallas; Sunset Crystal Palace, Kansas City c'37; heard by bandleader Jay McShann in Vine Street club '40 (McShann later claimed that at initial meeting he gave Brown 50 cents to sing a blues, then borrowed 25 cents back to buy a bowl of chili.) First sides with McShann band "Hootie Blues'/"Confessin' The Blues' April '41 "Confessin' written by Brown and McShann, sold 500,000 copies for Decca and became a classic: Chuck Berry sang it in high school, B.B. King covered it '69, etc. More sides '41-2 incl. "Lonely Boy Blues', "The Jumpin' Blues' etc. Toured with the band, sometimes played solo dates; fully solo by '45. Recorded for Queen/King label; club dates with Earl Hines '46; records with Tiny Grimes Sextet on Signature '47, incl. one of many covers of hit "Open The Door Richard' (Count Basie record no. 1 on pop chart '49). With Jay McShann quartet on Mercury '48. Further work in New Orleans, records for Capitol, Peacock; drug problem contributed to early death.