Chuck Brown And The Soul Searchers comprised of:
Chuck Brown (b. Charles Louis Brown, 22nd August 1936, Gaston, Northampton County, North Carolina, U.S.A. d. 16th May 2012, Baltimore, Baltimore City, Maryland, U.S.A.)
John Buchanan (trombone, vocals)
Donald Tillery (trumpet, vocals)
Leroy Fleming (saxophone, flute, timbales)
Le Ron Young (guitar)
Chris Johnson (organ)
Skip Fennell (keyboards)
Jerry 'Wildman' Wilder (bass)
Ricardo 'Tricky Sugar' Wellman (drums)
and
Gregory 'Bright Moments' Gerran (congas, percussion)
Charles Louis ‘Chuck’ Brown was fondly described as the ‘Godfather Of Go-Go’.
He hailed from North Carolina, later becoming an accomplished guitarist and singer.
Chuck was born in Gaston in 1936.
His mother was Lyla Brown, and his father, Albert Louis Moody.
Lyla was a housekeeper, whilst his father was a U.S. Marine.
His father was seldom at home, and the family were very poor.
As a child, by the time he was 7 years old, Chuck had learned to play the piano.
Leaving his poverty behind him, Chuck looked to Washington D.C. in 1942, to improve his situation.
When he was 15 years old, he was living on the streets.
He decided that the educational system was not for him, so he began taking on part time work, working as a shoe-shine at various stages and digging ditches.
Things did not improve for Chuck, and during the Fifties, he had been convicted of murder, after an initial assault, which Chuck insisted was an act of self defence.
Chuck served 8 years in Lorton Correctional Complex.
playing guitar at Lorton Correctional Complex
In prison, he traded cigarettes for a guitar, and taught himself the instrument.
On discharge from prison, Chuck returned to Washington, DC and took on various jobs, including work as a truck driver, a bricklayer, and a sparring partner at various boxing gyms.
Chuck took up his guitar and began performing at various engagements, all of which were allowed, as long as the establishments were alcohol free venues, due to the terms of his parole conditions at that time.
In the 60’s, Chuck found himself playing guitar with Jerry Butler and The Earls of Rhythm, joining the group, Los Latinos, in 1965.
During the coming years, Chuck continued to perform live, developing his own sound and working with his group The Soul Searchers.
we the people - 1972 / salt of the earth - 1974
The Soul Searchers released 2 albums during the Seventies, including ‘We The People’ (in 1972) and ‘Salt Of The Earth’ (in 1974).
CarrCee Productions produced and arranged both of these albums and kick-started Chuck Brown and the Soul Searchers' career on Sussex Records with Clarence Avant.
bustin loose - 1979 / funk express - 1980
In the late Seventies, Chuck, and his group, the Soul Searchers went to the top of the R&B chart for four weeks with the Go-Go influenced 'Bustin' Loose, Part 1'.
Chuck Brown and the Soul Searchers released the Source Records album 'Funk Express' in 1980.
Further singles followed, and in 1984, following a label change, the group achieved a U.S. Soul Top 30 hit with 'We Need Some Money'.
In 1985, at the height of the Go-Go scene in the U.K., 'Bustin' Loose' was re-released due to popular demand.
The ‘Bustin Loose’ album (which was originally released in 1979), was reissued.
Apart from the albums title track, the album also included 'Berro & Sombaro' and the Gamble/Huff/Butler penned 'Never Gonna Give You Up'.
chuck brown and the soul searchers live - 1986 / any other way to go? - 1987 / live '87 - 1987 / live - d.c. bumpin' y'all - 1987
In the later eighties, Chuck and the Searchers switched labels to the Future imprint and released four excellent Chuck Brown And The Soul Searchers E.P.’s, including the excellent 'Go Go Swing' in 1986.
90's going hard - 1991 / this is a journey into time - 1993 / we're about the business - 2007 / we got this - 2010
Chuck returned to the studio in 1991 with '90's Goin' Hard' for the Goff imprint.
He continued to release material up until 2010.
Chuck Brown died on the 16th of May 2012, at Baltimore's Johns Hopkins Hospital from multiple organ failure including heart failure.
Chuck was 75 years old.
He had previously been hospitalised with pneumonia.
In 2009, Washington, D.C. named a street after Chuck, namely, 'Chuck Brown Way'.
http://www.windmeupchuck.com/home
Albums:
with the Soul Searchers:
We The People (Sussex Records 1972)
Salt Of The Earth (Sussex Records 1974)
as Chuck Brown and the Soul Searchers:
Bustin' Loose (Valley Vue/Source Records 1979)
Funk Express (Source Records 1980)
We Need Some Money (TTED Records 1984)
Go Go Swing Live (Future Sound Records 1995)
Any Other Way to Go? (Rhythm Attack Records 1987)
90's Goin' Hard (Goff Records 1991)
This Is a Journey into Time (Raw Venture Records 1993)
Hah Man (Liason Records 1995)
Other Side (Liason Records 1995)
Live Pa Tape (Raw Venture Records 1997)
Trust Me: Live Pa Tape, Vol. 2 (Future Sound Records 1997)
Wind Me up Chuck, Vol. 3 (Raw Venture Records 1997)
Timeless (Raw Venture Records 1998)
Unadorned (Grandma Records 1998)
Breathe (Orchard Records 2000)
Your Game: Live at the 9:30 Club Washington,... (Raw Venture Records 2001)
We're About The Business (Raw Venture Records 2007)
