Roy Brown
September 10, 1925 – May 25, 1981
Roy Brown was an American blues singer who helped bridge the gap between the blues and rock ‘n roll. After a brief stint as a professional boxer, Brown turned to music in the mid ’40s. In 1947, he released “Good Rockin’ Tonight” which was covered by Elvis Presley during his Sun sessions on 1954. Unfortunately, the ’50s weren’t kind to Brown. Although he successfully sued King Records for past royalties in 1952, he had difficulty getting airplay and selling records. Some have claimed that he was blacklisted because of the lawsuit. By the ’60s, he was working as an encyclopedia salesman. Brown was able to find a new audience in the ’70s thanks in part to reissues of his great early records. He passed away of a heart attack at 55.
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