Lawrence Benjamin Brown facts for kids

Lawrence Benjamin Brown (born August 29, 1893 – died December 25, 1972) was an American musician. He was a singer, composer, and pianist from Jacksonville, Florida. He became famous for arranging and performing Negro spirituals. He often played piano and sang with the famous singer Paul Robeson.

Early Life and Family

Lawrence grew up with his father, Clark Benjamin Brown, and his stepmother, Cenia Brown. His birth mother passed away when he was only three years old. Both his father and grandfather had been enslaved in the past.

Becoming a Musician

Lawrence's first music teacher was William Riddick. He went to Boston, Massachusetts to study piano, which was his main instrument. To help pay for his studies, he worked as an elevator operator.

He started his career playing piano for tenor singer Sydney Woodward. Later, another tenor, Roland Hayes, discovered him. Lawrence toured with Roland Hayes from 1918 to 1923. This included a special performance at Buckingham Palace in England in 1921. While in England, he studied composition at Trinity College with Amanda Aldridge. He also performed string arrangements with cellist Beatrice Harrison at Wigmore Hall.

Working with Folk Songs and Spirituals

Lawrence Brown was very good at arranging Negro spirituals. These are traditional songs from African American communities. Some of his arrangements were published in a book called Book of American Negro Spirituals. In 1930, he published his own book, Negro Folk Songs.

He began working with the famous singer Paul Robeson in 1925. They performed together at the Greenwich Village Theatre. Lawrence and Paul became close friends and worked together for 40 years. Lawrence played piano and sang harmony with Paul's tenor voice. They toured all over the world, including Paris, London, and Ireland. They even performed for the King of Spain and the Prince of Wales.

Recordings and Research

Paul Robeson and Lawrence Brown recorded many songs together. These included Lawrence's arrangements of "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" and "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child". Their song "Ballad for Americans" was a huge hit around the world.

During World War II, they toured with the USO. This group provides entertainment for military members. Lawrence also did a lot of research for Paul Robeson's projects. He searched for folk music from different cultures around the world. Conductors often asked him for rare folk songs. He also knew writers like Lloyd Louis Brown and Langston Hughes.

Lawrence Brown retired in 1963 when Paul Robeson's career ended.

Later Life

Lawrence Brown never married. He lived in Harlem for the last 47 years of his life. After he passed away, Saint Martin's Episcopal Church in Harlem held a special concert in his memory in February 1973.