Avid supporters of the late country music singer Jim Ed Brown certainly remember that this day is special for him. He was born on this day in 1934 in Sparkman, Arkansas. He is supposed to be having his 85th birthday had he not passed away in 2015. But even if he’s no longer around to celebrate his natal day, for sure, his friends and families will do so for him. And given his great contributions to the music industry, he deserves all the honor and appreciation from all of us despite having gone to the afterlife.
Photo credit: Jim Ed Brown/Official Facebook Page
Jim Ed Brown with The Browns
It’s not a secret that Jim first rose to fame with the vocal harmony group The Browns which comprised of himself and his sisters, Maxine and Bonnie. The trio had several country hit songs since their foundation as a band in 1955 until the mid-‘60s. Their records “Here and Today and Gone Tomorrow,” “I Take the Chance,” and “I Heard a Bluebird Sing” became country hits. However, they had their smash hit with the 1969 song “The Three Bells,” earning them the No. 1 spot on the country chart. The song enjoyed the top of the chart for 10 weeks and it also managed to top the Hot 100 chart.
In 1963, The Browns became members of the Grand Ole Opry. However, their popularity began to fade in the years later. They decided to disband in 1967. The Browns became part of the Country Music Hall of Fame in March 2015.
Jim Ed Brown’s Success as a Solo Artist
When The Browns’ musical journey has finally ended, Jim’s did not. He continued pursuing a music career even without his sisters. In fact, he started performing as a solo artist two years prior to the band’s formal separation. On the same year they disbanded, Jim scored his first major solo hit with the honky-tonk number “Pop a Top.”
He became even more successful when he teamed up with country singer-songwriter Helen Cornelius. Together, they scored a string of major hits throughout the ‘70s until the early-‘80s. Their biggest record was the No. 1 song “I Don’t Want to Have to Marry You.” Toward the latter part of his career, Jim would occasionally meet with Cornelius to perform their duet hits at the Grand Ole Opry.
Jim Ed Brown died of cancer on June 11, 2015, at the age of 81.