Oscar Brown facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Oscar Brown Jr.
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Brown performing on the CBS public affairs television show "Look Up and Live", 1965.
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| Born | October 10, 1926 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
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| Died | May 29, 2005 (aged 78) Chicago, Illinois
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| Years active | 1960–2005 |
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| Musical career | |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Instruments | Vocals |
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Oscar Brown Jr. (born October 10, 1926 – died May 29, 2005) was a talented American artist. He was a singer, songwriter, and actor. He also wrote plays and poems. Oscar Brown Jr. was a strong voice for civil rights and equality.
He wrote many songs, with 125 of them being published. He also released 12 music albums. Beyond his artistic work, he tried to become a politician. He ran for office in Illinois and for the U.S. Congress, but he did not win.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Oscar Brown Jr. was born in Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. His father, Oscar Brown Sr., was a lawyer and worked in real estate. Oscar Jr. started acting early. When he was 15, he was on a radio show called Secret City.
After finishing high school at Englewood Technical Prep Academy, he went to college. He attended University of Wisconsin–Madison and then Lincoln University (Pennsylvania). However, he decided to leave college before graduating.
In his twenties, Oscar Brown Jr. became a newscaster. He worked on a Chicago radio program called Negro Newsfront. He also helped create the show. For a short time, he worked in real estate and public relations. He was also involved in political groups. He served two years in the U.S. Army.
Music Career
Oscar Brown Jr.'s father wanted him to become a lawyer, just like him. While Oscar Jr. did help his father with his law practice, he explored other paths. He worked in advertising and served in the U.S. Army in the mid-1950s. He also loved writing songs.
In the early 1950s, he worked for an advertising company in Chicago. He was hired as a writer. One time, his bosses took him to a fancy restaurant. The owner did not want to serve Oscar Brown Jr. because he was Black. But his bosses refused to leave until they were all served. They did this at many restaurants to fight against unfair treatment.
Later, Oscar Brown Jr. became a disc jockey for a radio show. He would play music and talk about the news. However, he sometimes arrived late. He also made comments about the Korean War that some people found controversial. Because of this, he left the job.
Becoming a Songwriter
Oscar Brown Jr. started to focus on songwriting when famous singer Mahalia Jackson recorded one of his songs, "Brown Baby." This was a big moment for him.
His first major musical project was with jazz musician Max Roach. They created an album called We Insist!. This album was important because it celebrated the movement for Black freedom in the United States. Soon after, Columbia Records signed Oscar Brown Jr. as a solo artist. He was in his mid-thirties and had five children.
First Albums
In 1960, Oscar Brown Jr. released his first album, Sin & Soul. Many famous people and jazz musicians praised it. The album was seen as a "true classic." It talked openly about the experiences of African Americans. Songs like "Bid 'Em In" and "Afro Blue" were very powerful.
Sin & Soul was also special because Oscar Brown Jr. took popular jazz songs that had no words and added his own lyrics to them. Examples include "Dat Dere" and "Work Song". This idea became popular with other jazz singers. Some songs from Sin & Soul were even loved by the 1960s Mod fashion and music scene.
His next album was Between Heaven and Hell (1962). Because Sin & Soul was so successful, more money was spent on this album. Famous musicians like Quincy Jones helped with the music arrangements.
However, things changed at Columbia Records. The company was not sure how to present him as an artist. They wondered if he should be a jazz artist or sing more popular, easy-listening music. His third album had no songs written by him.
For his fourth album, Tells It Like It Is (1963), Oscar Brown Jr. had more creative freedom. He wrote great songs again, like "The Snake." This song became a classic in the Northern soul music style when Al Wilson covered it. Even though he was doing well, Columbia Records did not renew his contract.
Stage and Television Work
In 1961, Oscar Brown Jr. tried to create a big musical show in New York City called Kicks & Co.. The TV host Dave Garroway even dedicated a whole episode of The Today Show to help Oscar Brown Jr. perform songs from the show and raise money.
Kicks & Co. was about an all-Black college campus in the American South. It was set during the early days when schools were trying to end segregation. The play showed how difficult these changes could be. This was one of many plays Oscar Brown Jr. created. While critics liked his work, his shows often did not make enough money to be financially successful.
One of his most successful shows was Buck White, partly because Muhammad Ali was involved. Another important musical was Joy, which had two versions (in 1966 and 1969). This show also talked about important social issues. Oscar Brown Jr. performed in Joy with his wife, Jean Pace, and Brazilian musician Sivuca.
In 1962, he hosted a TV show called Jazz Scene USA. Each week, the show featured a new musical guest.
Personal Life
Oscar Brown Jr. was married to Jean Pace. She was the older sister of actress Judy Pace. He had seven children. His son, Oscar "BoBo" Brown III, was a talented musician who played bass. Sadly, he died in a car crash in 1996.
His daughter, Maggie, is also a singer. People in Chicago sometimes called Oscar Brown Jr., his wife, and Maggie "The First Family of Swing." His youngest daughter, Africa Pace Brown, also helped share his music with more people.
Oscar Brown Jr.'s first son, Napoleon "David" Brown, was the inspiration for his song "Brown Baby." David also helped his father with promotions and business. His other children are Donna Brown Kane, Joan Olivia Brown, and Iantha Brown Casen. Some of them also took part in their father's shows.
Oscar Brown Jr. passed away in his hometown of Chicago on May 29, 2005, at the age of 78.
Humanitarian Work and Legacy
Oscar Brown Jr. cared deeply about helping others. He founded the Oscar Brown Jr. H.I.P. Legacy Foundation to continue his work. He also took part in protests against apartheid (a system of racial segregation) in South Africa.
Many artists have been inspired by Oscar Brown Jr.'s music and lyrics. For example, he wrote the lyrics for the song "Jeannine," which was sung by Eddie Jefferson and later by The Manhattan Transfer. His song "Somebody Buy Me a Drink" has also been covered by other artists.
Famous jazz singers like Nina Simone helped make his songs "Work Song," "Afro Blue," and "Bid 'Em In" very popular. Other vocalists like Dianne Reeves, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Lizz Wright have performed his lyrics for "Afro Blue." Singer Karrin Allyson said Oscar Brown Jr. was a big inspiration for her. She recorded his songs "A Tree and Me" and "But I Was Cool" as a tribute after he passed away.
Published Works
Books
- What It Is: Poems and Opinions of Oscar Brown Jr.: This book includes the words to many of his well-known songs, as well as songs he never recorded.
Selected Albums
- Sin & Soul (1960)
- Between Heaven and Hell (1962)
- Tells It Like It Is! (1963)
- Joy (1970)
- Movin' On (1972)
- Fresh (1974)
- Live Every Minute (1998)
Selected Musicals
- Kicks & Co.
- Joy '66; Joy '69
- Big-Time Buck White
Selected Songs
- "The Snake"
- "Work Song" (he wrote the words for Nat Adderley's music)
- "Afro Blue" (he wrote the words for Mongo Santamaría's music)
- "Brown Baby"
- "But I Was Cool"
Media Appearances
- Negro Newsfront (1940s), radio show
- The Today Show with Dave Garroway (around 1960)
- Jazz Scene USA (1962), television show – host
- The Dick Cavett Show (1970), with Jean Pace and Sivuca
- Stony Island (1978 film) – actor
- From Jump Street: The Story of Black Music (early 1980s) – host of a TV series
- Def Poetry Season 2 (2002) – as a poet
