Charles Brown was a blues pianist who had a number of hits in the 1940's and early 1950's. Although his style was mellow and sophisticated, he was a major influence on Ray Charles, Little Richard, Chuck Berry and Fats Domino.
Charles Brown was born in 1922 in Texas City, Texas. He showed musical talent early, and took classical piano lessons. He took a degree in chemistry, and worked as a teacher and chemist before moving to Los Angeles in 1944, where he started playing piano in blues clubs with Johnny Moore's Three Blazers.
In 1945 he recorded "Driftin' Blues" with Aladdin Records, a single that stayed on the R&B charts for six months. In the early 1950s he issued a series of hits in his "blues ballad" style including "Get Yourself Another Fool", "Black Night" and "Trouble Blues". The last two each topped the R&B charts for over three months.
Later, as Rock & Roll became popular, he faded from the charts, although his "Please Come Home for Christmas" was a hit in 1960. But he remained popular with his loyal fans and continued to perform and record.
In the early 1990's Bonnie Raitt brought him back into the public eye by taking him on tour as an opening act, and he issued several successful new records.
Charles Brown died in 1999 aged 76.
Driftin Blues
I Stepped In Quicksand
LinksGeocities bio of Charles Brown
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