Willie Brown (musician)

Willie Brown (August 6, 1900 – December 30, 1952) was an American guitarist and singer. He played with Charley Patton, Son House, and Robert Johnson.

Birth

Brown was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi.

Music

He was known to be shy and only wanting to accompany other musicians rather than play lead guitar. Robert Johnson called him "my friend boy Willie Brown".

Brown is heard playing on the Paramount label sessions of 1930. He played M & O Blues and Future Blues. He also played songs with Son House and Charlie Patton. There are also rumours that he played with Luke Thomson and Thomas "Clubfoot" Coles. At least four other songs he recorded for Paramount have never been found.

Brown also played a song during the Great Depression for the Library of Congress called Make Me a Pallet on the Floor.

Possible songs

A song called Rowdy blues was thought to have Brown playing on rhythm guitar since he played another song (Future Blues) on the same album (Son House & The Great Delta Blues Singers).

Death

He died of heart disease in Tunica, Mississippi at the age of 52.

Other websites

• "Cross Road Blues" lyrics Archived 2014-11-06 at the Wayback Machine