Rabbit Brown facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rabbit Brown
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|---|---|
| Birth name | Richard Brown |
| Also known as | probably Blind Willie Harris |
| Born | c. 1880 Louisiana, United States (probably New Orleans) |
| Died | 1937 New Orleans, Louisiana, United States |
| Genres | Country blues |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | |
| Labels | Victor |
Richard "Rabbit" Brown (born around 1880 – died 1937) was an American blues musician. He was a talented guitar player and songwriter. His music was a mix of blues, popular songs, and special songs he wrote about current events.
He recorded six songs for Victor Records in 1927. One of his most famous songs, "James Alley," was later included in a well-known collection called Anthology of American Folk Music. Even famous artists like Bob Dylan have covered his songs!
Contents
About Rabbit Brown
Richard Brown was most likely born around 1880 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He lived in this vibrant city for most of his life. He later moved to a lively area of New Orleans called the Battlefield. Many things that happened there gave him ideas for his songs. He often played his music in nightclubs and on the streets.
Rabbit Brown recorded six songs in total. Five of these songs can be found on a special collection album called The Greatest Songsters: Complete Works (1927–1929). His sixth recorded song, "Great Northern Blues," was never released and is now lost.
Brown passed away in 1937, probably in New Orleans.
Songs About Real Events
Rabbit Brown was known for writing "topical ballads." These were songs that told stories about real events happening at the time.
Two of his popular songs, "The Downfall of the Lion" and "Gyp the Blood," were about things that happened in New Orleans. Even though these songs were not recorded, people who knew Brown remembered them.
Two of his recorded songs, "The Mystery of the Dunbar's Child" and "The Sinking of the Titanic," are also considered original topical songs. This means he wrote them himself, and they weren't old folk songs passed down through generations.
Was He Also Blind Willie Harris?
In 2003, a collection of gospel music called Goodbye, Babylon was released. It included a song by a singer named Blind Willie Harris. This song, "Where He Leads Me I Will Follow," was recorded in New Orleans in 1929.
People noticed that Blind Willie Harris's music sounded very similar to Richard Brown's recordings from 1927. Because of this, many experts believe that Blind Willie Harris was actually Rabbit Brown using a different name. However, there are no official papers that prove this link.
A Famous Quote
I done seen better days, but I'm putting up with these.
—Rabbit Brown
See also
In Spanish: Rabbit Brown para niños
- List of blues musicians
- Music of Louisiana
