Mel Brown, Blues Legend from the Mississippi Delta reluctantly left us!

October 7, 1939 a baby named Mel Brown was born in Jackson Mississippi. He like many others in the world fell in love with the Blues! The difference is Mel lived and breathed the Blues... He has played, toured and recorded with the biggest names in the music industry. B.B. King, T-Bone Walker, Snooky Pryor, Bobby Bland, Stevie Ray Vaughn, John Lee Hooker, David Bowie, Dr. John, Sonny and Cher, Waylon Jennings and Willy Nelson. Plus many more. Jimmy Hendricks once told Mel: "Your a good guitar player..." Many of the "Greats" stayed at the Brown's house because African Americans were not allowed to stay in hotel on the Mississippi back in the 50's. When Mel was 16 he headed for L.A. but was humbled by the competition in the big city. He returned to Jackson and practised hard for another 2 years before going back to L.A. Between 1958 and 1967 Mel played with several bands. Johnny Otis, The Olympics, Etta James, Sam Cooke, Pee Wee Brayton, Johnny Guitar Watson and had steady work as a session musician. One night T-Bone Walker heard him playing at the Sands Club in L.A. and invited him to play on his next album. A studio executive was so impressed he Signed Mel Brown to his own deal with ABC/Impulse records and he recorded his first album called "Chicken Fat" That album is a classic of all blues guitar fans! In 1975 when playing in Denver Colorado, Mel met Miss Angel who became his wife. I've never met a more unified and happy couple! In 1983 while heading the House band at Antoine's in Austin Texas he met Glenn Smith from Kitchener Ontario. He was in Texas scouting for artists to play in Kitchener. When Glenn opened "Pop the Gator" in 1989 he asked Mel if he would be the house band. When Mel agreed he settled in a house in downtown Kitchener on Cameron Street! This did wonders for the credibility of Glenn Smith as a club owner. "its like having a baseball team and saying: 'Guess what, we have Micky Mantle now!" says Smith. Mel hosted weekly jams at "Pop the Gator" and musicians would line up for a chance to share the stage with the Great Blues Guitar Man. Mel was a Big Boy, a gentle giant if you will. Every time B.B. King played at LuLu's he asked Mel if he would play to. One time when Buddy Guy was playing at The Centre in the Square. He told Mel: "Its just you, me and B.B. left now" The first time I met Mel was when my mother was having a yard sale. Mel came up to me and asked me how much the organ was going for. He's also a piano player. I told him how much it was and he asked me if we have any guitars. I showed him my dads Gibson J-45 and he played it. My dad asked him what his ring meant. It had a big M. and B. He said, "I'm Mel Brown" He loved my dads guitar and wanted to buy it, but my Pop said, "Sorry, its not for sale." The same has been said to any musician who has ever played it... My dad Gerald, had to leave us in 2004 and his prize possession, the "Soul Explainer" to my deserving brother Jason.

The last time I spoke to Mel, he and Miss Angel his adoring wife pulled up in front of the house when I was cutting my Mom's lawn and asked me with a smile only Mel could make... "Wheres that old guitar?" I told him "Its not here any more my brother has it...." I asked him if he and Angel could make it to the Huether Jam afternoon. Unfortunatly for me I became ill never was unable to experience that pleasure... :(

When can I say... Mel Brown is a great man with a big heart and the Blues came from his core. When a musician dies my musical friends and I must endure a special pain because we lost one of our family.

On March 20 2009 we lost our Grand Father!

I keep an ear open in my dreams for Dad, Mel, Stevie Ray, Jimmy H, and every other great that ever played!

Please pray for Mel Brown and his family...

Bryan Zettler