Brownie McGhee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Brownie McGhee
|
|
|---|---|
McGhee in 1982
|
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Walter Brown McGhee |
| Born | November 30, 1915 Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Died | February 16, 1996 (aged 80) Oakland, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Folk-blues, country blues, Piedmont blues, East Coast blues, blues revival |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Guitar, piano, kazoo, vocals |
| Associated acts | Sticks McGhee, Sonny Terry |
Walter Brown "Brownie" McGhee (born November 30, 1915 – died February 16, 1996) was an American folk music and Piedmont blues singer and guitarist. He became very famous for working with the harmonica player Sonny Terry. Together, they created amazing blues music for many years.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Brownie McGhee was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, and grew up in Kingsport, Tennessee. When he was about four years old, he got polio, a sickness that affected his right leg. His brother, Granville "Sticks" McGhee, was nicknamed because he pushed young Brownie around in a cart. Stick also became a musician later.
Their father, George McGhee, worked in a factory but was also known for playing guitar and singing. Brownie's uncle even made him a guitar from a tin marshmallow box and a piece of wood. Brownie spent a lot of his youth learning music. He sang with a local group called the Golden Voices Gospel Quartet. He taught himself to play the guitar and also learned the banjo, ukulele, and piano. Later, surgery helped him to walk better.
Becoming a Traveling Musician
When he was 22, Brownie McGhee started traveling as a musician. He worked with the Rabbit Foot Minstrels, which was a traveling show with music and performances. During this time, he became friends with Blind Boy Fuller, another great guitar player who really inspired him.
After Blind Boy Fuller passed away in 1941, a record company promoted Brownie as "Blind Boy Fuller No. 2." Brownie started recording music, but his biggest success came when he moved to New York in 1942.
Teaming Up with Sonny Terry
In New York, Brownie McGhee joined forces with Sonny Terry, a harmonica player he had known since 1939. Their partnership was an instant hit! They recorded many songs and toured together for almost 40 years, until about 1980. For many years, they spent most of their time touring and recording albums.
Even though they became known as "pure" folk artists, in the 1940s, Terry and McGhee also tried playing jump blues. They had a band with a saxophone and piano, sometimes called "Brownie McGhee and his Jook House Rockers." They even performed in famous Broadway shows like Finian's Rainbow and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
During the 1960s, when blues music became popular again, Terry and McGhee were big stars at concerts and music festivals. They always stayed true to their blues roots, playing the music their fans loved.
Brownie McGhee in Movies and TV
Later in his life, Brownie McGhee also appeared in movies and on television. He and Sonny Terry were in the 1979 comedy movie The Jerk with Steve Martin.
In 1987, Brownie gave a memorable performance as a blues singer named Toots Sweet in the movie Angel Heart. A famous movie critic, Roger Ebert, even praised Brownie's acting! Brownie also appeared in TV shows like Family Ties in 1988 and Matlock in 1989. In the Matlock episode, he even sang "The Midnight Special" with Andy Griffith.
Learning from Brownie McGhee
A musician named Happy Traum, who used to be Brownie's guitar student, put together a blues guitar instruction book in 1971. It was called Guitar Styles of Brownie McGhee. In the book, Brownie shared stories about his life and the history of the blues.
Awards and Legacy
In 1982, Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry received a National Heritage Fellowship. This is the highest honor the United States government gives for folk and traditional arts. They were among the very first people to receive this award.
One of Brownie McGhee's last performances was at the Chicago Blues Festival in 1995. He passed away from stomach cancer on February 16, 1996, in Oakland, California, at the age of 80. His music continues to inspire many people today.
Discography (Selected Albums)
Brownie McGhee released many albums throughout his career, both on his own and with Sonny Terry. Here are a few examples:
Solo Albums
- Traditional Blues, Vol. 1 (Folkways Records, 1951)
- Brownie McGhee Sings the Blues (Folkways, 1959)
- Brownie's Blues (Bluesville, 1962)
With Sonny Terry
- Folk Songs of Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee (Roulette, 1958)
- Down Home Blues (Bluesville, 1960)
- Sonny & Brownie (A&M Records, 1973)
See also
In Spanish: Brownie McGhee para niños
- American folk music
- Woody Guthrie
- List of blues musicians
- List of folk musicians
- List of people from Tennessee
- Union Boys
