Lillyn Brown facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lillyn Brown
Brown circa 1920
Background information
Birth name	Lillian Thomas
Also known as	E. L. Brown Maude Jones Fannie Baker Mildred Fernandez Lillian Brown Wilson Lillian Demont
Born	(1885-04-24)April 24, 1885 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Died	June 8, 1969(1969-06-08) (aged 84) Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Singer, vaudeville entertainer
Years active	1894–1934, intermittently later until 1964

Lillyn Brown (born Lillian Thomas; April 24, 1885 – June 8, 1969) was an American singer and entertainer. She was famous for performing in vaudeville shows, which were popular stage shows with different acts. Lillyn Brown claimed she was the first professional singer to perform the blues in public, back in 1908. People called her "The Kate Smith of Harlem" and "The Original Gay 90's Gal."

Lillyn Brown's Amazing Career

Lillyn Brown was born Lillian Thomas in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 24, 1885. Her mother was African-American, and her father was French. She started performing very young, in 1894. Her first act was called "The Indian Princess." She performed with an all-white female string band.

Early Performances and Male Impersonation

By 1896, Lillyn was known as "The World's Youngest Interlocutor." She performed in minstrel shows. In these shows, she was a male impersonator. This means she dressed and acted like a man on stage. She often used the name E. L. Brown to hide that she was a woman. Her act involved singing as a man in a top hat and tails. Then, she would reveal her long hair and continue singing as a woman.

Lillyn Brown said she was the first professional singer to perform the blues for an audience. This happened in 1908 at the Little Strand Theatre in Chicago.

Recording Music

In 1918, Lillyn took over as the main female star in a popular musical comedy called Broadway Rastus. This show was in New York City. She made her only recordings in 1921. This was just a few months after Mamie Smith made her famous blues recordings.

Lillyn Brown recorded for Emerson Records. She was backed by a band called the Jazz-Bo Syncopators. She recorded only four songs: "Ever Lovin' Blues," "If That's What You Want Here It Is," "The Jazz Me Blues," and "Bad-Land Blues." These songs were later released by other record labels under different names. She was called Maude Jones on Medallion Records, Fannie Baker on Oriole Records, and Mildred Fernandez on Regal Records.

Later Career and Teaching

Lillyn Brown performed on Broadway and toured in Europe. She also sang at many big nightclubs in Harlem. She performed on the Keith vaudeville circuit, which was a famous chain of theaters.

She announced her retirement in 1934. However, she still appeared in some shows. In 1938, she was in the Broadway show Sing Out the News. In 1949, she performed in Marc Blitzstein's opera Regina. This was at the 46th Street Theatre in New York. In 1952, she was in a short-lived revival of Kiss Me, Kate on Broadway.

During the 1950s, Lillyn Brown ran an acting and singing school in Manhattan. She also taught at the Jarahal School of Music in Harlem. She wrote, performed, and produced plays for the Abyssinian Baptist Church. She was also active in the African American Actors Guild. Her last public performance was in 1964. It was a concert honoring Mamie Smith.

Lillyn Brown passed away on June 8, 1969, at the age of 84. She died in Manhattan, New York City.

Lillyn Brown on Broadway

• Sing Out the News (1938)
• Regina (1949)
• Kiss Me, Kate, revival (1952)