A classic voice of the Blues, Ruth Brown has passed in Las Vegas, she was 78. She died from complications following an October surgery.
Discovered by Cab Calloway's sister Blanche, Brown's career took off in 1949 on the legendary Atlantic record label with the hits So Long, Teardrops from My Eyes, and I'll Wait for You. Indeed, Atlantic was known as the label the Ruth brown built.
Born in 1928 in Portsmouth, Virginia the oldest of seven children, Brown's musical foundation came from the church. Her smoother style was a contrast to earlier Blues shouters like Bessie Smith, and was a true originator of modern Rhythm and Blues.
Brown gained fame on Broadway, along with a Grammy and a Toni for her performance in Black and Blue. She was also a pioneer in the fight for musician's rights, instrumental in the creation of the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. Brown appeared in sit-coms and had a radio show, Harlem Hit Parade. In 1993 she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
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Brown's influence in the Blues and in the music business was monumental. A creative force that became the template for countless vocalists to follow, a role-model for fighting for well-earned royalties, performances on Broadway, radio, cinema and television, and a musical icon the world will miss.
