Ada Brown
Background information
Birth nameAda Scott Brown
Born(1890-05-01)May 1, 1890
Kansas City, Kansas, United States
DiedMarch 30, 1950(1950-03-30) (aged 59)
Kansas City, Kansas, United States
GenresBlues
Occupation(s)Singer
Years active1919–1950

Ada Scott Brown (May 1, 1890 – March 30, 1950)[1] was an American blues singer. She is best known for her recordings of "Ill Natural Blues", "Break o' Day Blues", and "Evil Mama Blues.[1]

Biography

Brown was born and raised in Kansas City, Kansas.[1] Her cousin James Scott was a ragtime composer and pianist.[2] Her early career was spent primarily on stage in musical theater and vaudeville. She recorded with Bennie Moten and Mary H. Bradford in 1926; the side "Evil Mama Blues" is possibly the earliest recording of Kansas City jazz.[2] Aside from her time with Moten, she did several tours alongside bandleaders such as George E. Lee.[2]

Brown was a founding member of the Negro Actors Guild of America in 1936.[2] She worked at the London Palladium and on Broadway in the late 1930s.[2] She sang "That Ain't Right" with Fats Waller in the musical film Stormy Weather (1943).[3]

She also appeared in Harlem to Hollywood, accompanied by Harry Swannagan.[2] Brown was featured on two tracks of the compilation album Ladies Sing the Blues ("Break o' Day Blues" and "Evil Mama Blues").[4][5]

Brown died in Kansas City of kidney disease in March 1950.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "The Dead Rock Stars Club – The 50s and Earlier". Thedeadrockstarsclub.com. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Bob McCann (2009). Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television. McFarland & Company. p. 58. ISBN 9780786458042.
  3. ↑ Ada Brown and Fats Waller performing "That Ain't Right" from Stormy Weather (1943) - online video
  4. ↑ Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books. p. 199. ISBN 1-85868-255-X.
  5. ↑ Phares, Heather. "Ladies Sing the Blues [ASV/Living Era]". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
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