Nappy Brown facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nappy Brown
Nappy Brown in Tokyo, Japan, 1996.
Background information
Birth name	Napoleon Brown Goodson Culp
Also known as	Nappy Brown
Born	(1929-10-12)October 12, 1929 Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.
Died	September 20, 2008(2008-09-20) (aged 78) Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.
Genres	R&B Soul Blues
Occupation(s)	Vocalist, musician, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1954–2008
Associated acts	The Heavenly Lights, Nappy Brown and the Heartfixers

Napoleon Brown Goodson Culp (born October 12, 1929 – died September 20, 2008) was an American singer. He was much better known by his stage name, Nappy Brown. He became famous for his R&B songs.

Some of his biggest hits include "Don't Be Angry" from 1955. This song reached number 2 on the Billboard R&B charts. Other popular songs were "Little By Little" and "Night Time Is the Right Time". Nappy Brown had a very special singing style. He used a wide vibrato (a wavering sound) and added unique extra syllables like "li-li-li-li-li" to his songs.

Early Life and Music Career

Nappy Brown was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. His parents were Kathryn Culp and Sammie Lee Brown. After his mother passed away, he was raised by Fred and Maggie Culp. They went to the Gethsemane AME Zion Church. He also went to school in Charlotte.

Starting in Gospel Music

Nappy Brown began his music journey singing gospel music. This is a type of music with religious themes. Later, he changed his focus to R&B.

In 1954, he got a recording contract with Savoy Records. This was a big step for his career. He then released several hit songs. "Don't Be Angry" was a huge success in 1955. It reached number 2 on the R&B charts and number 25 on the pop charts.

Other hits included "Pitter Patter" (number 10 R&B in 1955) and "Little By Little" (number 57 pop in 1956). His song "It Don't Hurt No More" also did well, reaching number 8 on the R&B charts in 1958.

Becoming an R&B Star

Nappy Brown became one of the biggest stars in R&B music. He often toured with famous music shows led by Alan Freed. His songs, along with those of other artists like Little Richard and Fats Domino, helped bring African-American pop music to wider audiences. Many white listeners started to enjoy this new sound.

It is said that Elvis Presley would often watch Nappy Brown perform. This happened whenever Brown was in Memphis, Tennessee. Nappy Brown's strong and unique voice helped shape the sound of soul music. His style was a key part of how soul music developed.

Music Comeback in the 1980s

In the early 1980s, people started to become interested in R&B music again. This led to some of Nappy Brown's older songs being released on albums in Europe. A guitarist named Bob Margolin, who was a big fan of Nappy Brown, encouraged him to return to music.

Nappy Brown started his comeback with a successful tour in Scandinavia in 1983. In 1984, he signed with Landslide Records. This was 14 years after his last recording. He released a new album called Tore Up with a band called The Heartfixers. More recordings followed after this successful return.

One of Nappy Brown's hits from Savoy Records, "Piddly Patter," was even used in a movie. It was featured in the John Waters film Cry-Baby, which starred Johnny Depp.

Later Years and Legacy

Nappy Brown's last album was called Long Time Coming. He recorded it in May 2007, and it was released in September 2007. The album received many good reviews. Both the album and Nappy Brown himself were nominated for a Blues Music Award.

The album was produced by Scott Cable. It featured talented guitarists like Sean Costello, Bob Margolin, and Junior Watson. They played on Brown's classic hits and some new songs. In the fall of 2007, Nappy Brown was featured on the cover of Living Blues magazine. After that, he went on a tour in Europe. He was also a special musical guest on Garrison Keillor's radio show, A Prairie Home Companion, in October 2007.

In May 2008, Nappy Brown gave one last amazing performance. This was at the ceremony for the Blues Music Awards. It was a great way to end his incredible comeback.

Nappy Brown passed away on September 20, 2008. He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame on August 24, 2002. His 1956 song "Open Up That Door" was even used in a national commercial for Google in June 2020. This shows how his music continued to be loved and remembered.

Recordings

• Roots To Scandinavian Blues (LP 1983/remastered 2009) with Knut Reiersrud guitar. Hot Club Records/Jon Larsen.
• "Who's Been Fooling You" (1997) with The Electric City band. New Moon Music.

Discography

Albums

• Thanks For Nothing (1969)
• Yes, I Know The Man (1974)
• When I Get Inside (1977)
• Tore Up (1984)
• Don't Be Angry! (1984)
• Something Gonna Jump Out The Bushes! (1987)
• Deep Sea Diver (1989)
• Apples & Lemons (1990)
• Aw! Shucks (1991)
• I'm A Wild Man (1994)
• Just For Me (1996)
• Who's Been Foolin' You" (1997)
• Best Of Both Worlds (1998)
• Long Time Coming (2007)

Singles