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Ruth Brown Biography (1928-)

Original name, Ruth Alston Watson; born January 31, 1928, in Portsmouth, VA;daughter of Leonard (a dock worker) and Martha Jane Alston Weston; married Jimmy Earle Brown (a trumpeter and vocalist; marriage annulled); common law wife of Wilis Jackson (relationship ended, 1955); married Earl Swanson (a saxophone player), 1957 (divorced); married Bill Blunt (a police officer), 1963 (divorced); children: (with Drew "Bundini" Brown, a boxing trainer) Ronald DavidJackson; (with Swanson) Earl Swanson, Jr. Addresses: Office: c/o Bullseye Blues/Rounder, 1 Camp St., Cambridge, MA 01240-1103.

Nationality

American

Gender

Female

Occupation

Actress, singer

Birth Details

January 31, 1928

Portsmouth, Virginia, United States

Famous Works

• CREDITS
• Film Appearances
• Rock 'n' Roll Revue (also known as Harlem Rock 'n' Roll), 1955
• Herself, Rhythm and Blues Revue, 1955
• Cleaning lady, Under the Rainbow, 1981
• Motormouth Maybell, Hairspray, New Line, 1988
• Martha, True Identity, Buean Vista, 1991
• (In archive footage) Herself, Standing in the Shadows of Motown (also known as Standing in the Shadows of Motown: The Story of the Funk Brothers), Artisan Entertainment, 2002
• Television Appearances
• Series
• Leona Wilson, Hello, Larry, NBC, 1979-1981
• Betty, Checking In, CBS, 1981
• Movies
• Mrs. Sherman, Hallelujah, PBS, 1993
• Ella, Shake, Rattle and Rock!, Showtime, 1994
• Specials
• "That Rhythm Those Blues," The American Experience, PBS, 1988
• The 43rd Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1989
• The Dancing Man--Peg Leg Bates, PBS, 1992
• Black and Blue, PBS, 1993
• Herself, Abbey Lincoln: You Gotta Pay the Band, PBS, 1993
• Herself, B.B. King: The Blues Summit, Arts and Entertainment, 1995
• Let's Make Sure Everybody Eats '95, Food Network, 1995
• Bonnie Raitt: Road Tested, PBS, 1995
• Herself, The History of Rock 'N' Roll, Vol. 1 (also known as Rock 'n' Roll Explodes), syndicated, 1995
• Herself, Ira Gershwin at 100: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall, PBS,1997
• Little Jimmy Scott, Bravo, 1999
• The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize Celebrating the Humor of Richard Pryor, Comedy Central, 1999
• I'll Make Me a World: A Century of African-American Arts, PBS, 1999
• Voices of Ant and Tortoise, Aesop's Fables: A Whodunit Musical: An Animated Special from the "Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child" Series (animated), HBO, 2000
• Herself, 22nd Annual W. C. Handy Blues Awards, 2001
• Words and Music by Leiber & Stoller, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
• Hitmakers: The Teens Who Stole Pop Music, Arts and Entertainment,2001
• Episodic
• Sanford and Son, 1974
• Betty, "Florence's New Job: Part 2," The Jeffersons, 1981
• Guest, Late Night with David Letterman, 1989
• Guest, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, NBC, 1990
• Also appeared in episodes of American Bandstand; Austin City Limits, PBS.
• Stage Appearances
• Woman number three, Blues in the Night, Rialto Theatre, New York City, 1982
• Lilly, Champeen!, Harry DeJur Playhouse, New York City, 1983
• (Broadway debut) Odessa, Amen Corner, Nederlander Theatre, New York City, 1983
• Black and Blue (musical revue), Paris, 1984
• Staggerlee, Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre, New Orleans, LA, 1985, then Second Avenue Theatre, New York City, 1987
• Singer, Black and Blue, Minskoff Theatre, New York City, 1989
• Also appeared in Guys and Dolls, Aladdin Theatre, Las Vegas, NV.
• Radio Appearances
• Bluesstage, National Public Radio, 1989
• Also apperaed as host, Harlem Hit Parade, syndicated.
• RECORDINGS
• Albums
• Ruth Brown Sings Favorites, 1956
• Ruth Brown, 1957
• Late Date with Ruth Brown, 1959
• Along Comes Ruth, 1962
• Gospel Time, 1962
• Ruth Brown '65, 1964
• Fine Brown Frame, 1968
• The Big Band Sound of Thad Jones and Mel Lewis Featuring Miss Ruth, 1968
• Black Is Brown and Brown Is Beautiful, 1969
• Takin' Care of Business, 1980
• The Soul Survives, 1982
• Atlantic Rhythm and Blues: 1947-74, 1986
• Have a Good Time, Fantasy, 1989
• Blues on Broadway, 1989
• Brown, Black & Beautiful, 1990
• Fine and Mellow, 1992
• Songs of My Life, 1993
• Live in London, 1996
• R+B=Ruth Brown, 1997
• Good Day for the Blues, 1999
• WRITINGS
• Autobiography
• (With Andrew Yule) Miss Rhythm: The Autobiography of Ruth Brown, Rhythm & Blues Legend, 1996

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals

• American Visions, October, 1999, p. 48
• People, March 6, 1989, p. 261
• Rolling Stone, April 19, 1990, p. 79