Give Me 5, 10,15 Hours of Ruth Brown

R&B Diva Ruth Brown died Friday at the age of 78, according to this story in the New York Times. If Little Richard was the architect of Rock and Roll, Ruth Brown was the Queen of R&B. That designation is all the more fitting because in the 1950s, her label, Atlantic Records, was known as the House That Ruth Built. In the next decade, the label would be sustained by the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin.

By that time, Brown's hit records had slowed, and she found herself struggling to make ends meet. But she fought her way back to the top in the 80s an 90s. John Waters' film, Hairspray introduced her to a new generation of fans in 1988. In 1989, she won a Tony Award as Best Actress in a Musical for her starring role in the musical, Black and Blue. The next year, her album Blues on Broadway earned a Grammy for best female jazz vocal performance. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. She also won acclaim for her autobiography, published in 1999.

Brown was more than a stellar artist. In the 1980s, she successfully sued Atlantic Records for back royalties and used the proceeds to establish the Rhythm and Blues Foundation to provide financial support for R&B artists and preserve their work. She continued to perform and work for the foundation until her final illness incapacitated her.

In addition to her extensive body of work and philanthropy, Brown is survived by two sons, three grandchildren and four siblings.


You can hear the woman that fellow 50s hitmaker Frankie Laine called "Miss Rhythm" talking about her life in this 2003 interview with Christopher Lydon. Then take it all the way back to 1953 with this clip of Brown's performance of "Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean." You can also see her perform on the original Showtime at the Apollo -- from 1955 -- with Nat King Cole, Sarah Vaughan, Nipsey Russell, and many more. Get your bop on, baby -- Miss Rhythm is tight!

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