Biography of Roy Brown

One of the premier shouters of the jump blues era, Brown has been called "the first singer of soul" (in John Broven's Walking to New Orleans), "one of the great blues lyricists of all time" (in Jeff Hannusch's I Hear You Knockin'), and the artist responsible for the breakthrough of New Orleans rhythm & blues. An acknowledged and obvious influence on Bobby Bland, B.B. King, Junior Parker, Little Milton, James Brown, and Jackie Wilson in the blues and R&B fields, Brown also had followers on the rock & roll side by the names of Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly. He was a trendsetter both in his use of fervent gospel-style singing in Black secular music and in the infectious rhythms that helped pave the way for rock & roll in songs such as "Good Rockin' Tonight" and "Rockin' at Midnight." Though never again as commercially successful as he was in 1948-1951, when he had 15 records on the charts, Brown continued to perform and record now and again in later years, still boasting the magnificent voice that enthralled and inspired listeners when he was "the mighty, mighty man" of rhythm & blues. ~ Jim O'Neal