Roy Brown

I consider it an honor to have been able to cart him around CT for a couple of magnificient weeks in 1980 and to have had him over the house more than a few times. Once I asked him who his biggest influence as a singer was. Since I'd been reading all those jazz history books, I was certain he'd say Louis Armstrong, but nooooooo ---- he said, "Bing Crosby."

Then he went into "I've Got Spurs that Jingle Jangle Jingle..." and all the flowers in the house seemed to bloom with that sweet voice of his !

He told how he'd always been the crooner in his band, until one night the bassist, who was the shouter, got laryngitis, and since it was a radio broadcast, Roy had to shout his own tune "Good Rockin' Tonight" (which later became the 2nd tune Elvis Presley, who loved Roy, recorded) live, and it worked so well, he just kept on shouting !

With Roomful, thanks to Aaron Fuchs for the intro, he had his perfect band, the Mighty Men, back, and Roomful had its perfect singer. He USED the band's dynamics to the hilt, and with 5 horns and Ronnie Earl, THAT was smokin' !!

I'll never forget him.