Shirley Brown facts for kids

Shirley Brown was born on January 6, 1947, in West Memphis, Arkansas. She is an American R&B singer. R&B music is a popular style that blends rhythm and blues. Shirley Brown is best known for her song "Woman to Woman." This song sold over a million copies. It was also nominated for a Grammy Award in 1975. A Grammy Award is a very important prize for music.

Shirley Brown's Early Life and Music Journey

Shirley Brown was born in West Memphis, Arkansas. She grew up in Madison, Illinois. She started singing in church when she was nine years old. Singing gospel music helped her develop a strong and expressive voice. Many people compared her voice to the famous singer Aretha Franklin.

How Shirley Brown Was Discovered

When Shirley was 14, a famous blues musician named Albert King discovered her. She was singing at the Harlem Club in Brooklyn, Illinois. Shirley then traveled and performed with Albert King for nine years. Even though she had a tutor, Shirley often skipped classes to work with the band.

First Recordings and Big Hit

By 1972, Shirley was living in East St. Louis, Illinois. She made her first record for a company called Abet. The songs were "I Ain't Gonna Tell" and "Love Built on a Strong Foundation." Bandleader Oliver Sain produced this record. Sain had also worked with Albert King on his first hit song years before.

In 1974, Albert King suggested Shirley Brown to Stax Records. This was a big record company in Memphis, Tennessee. King was already one of their popular stars.

Her song "Woman to Woman" became a huge hit in 1974. It was number one on the Billboard R&B music chart for two weeks. It also reached number 22 on the main Billboard Hot 100 chart. By December 1974, it had sold over one million copies. This earned her a gold disc. A gold disc means a song has sold a lot of copies. "Woman to Woman" was the last major hit song for Stax Records before the company faced financial problems.

Later Career and Continued Music

Shirley Brown released her first album, also called Woman to Woman, through Stax Records. After Stax Records closed, she signed with Arista Records in 1977. She released another album called Shirley Brown. This album included the song "Blessed Is the Woman," which became a hit on the R&B charts.

Shirley Brown continued to record music for different record companies. Since 1989, she has been with Malaco Records, a blues music company in Mississippi. She still performs live, especially in the southern parts of the United States. She is a popular performer, even though she hasn't had the same recording success as her early years.

Grammy Award History

Shirley Brown was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1975.

• 1975 - Nominated for Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance - Female

See also

• List of 1970s one-hit wonders in the United States