Ruth Brown

Ruth Brown (January 12, 1928 – November 17, 2006) was an American rhythm and blues singer and actress, widely regarded as one of the key figures in popularizing R&B music in the 1950s. Known as “Miss Rhythm,” she recorded a series of major hits for Atlantic Records, including “So Long,” “Teardrops from My Eyes,” and “(Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean,” helping establish the label’s early success.

Born Ruth Alston Weston in Portsmouth, Virginia, she attended I. C. Norcom High School. Her father directed a church choir, but Brown was drawn to secular music, performing in clubs and USO shows. Influenced by singers such as Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, and Dinah Washington, she left home in 1945 with musician Jimmy Brown, whom she later married, to pursue a singing career.

After early setbacks, including being stranded in Washington, D.C., she was helped by bandleader Blanche Calloway, who secured her a nightclub engagement and became her manager. A recommendation from radio host Willis Conover brought her to the attention of Atlantic Records founders Ahmet Ertegün and Herb Abramson. Following recovery from a serious car accident, she signed with the label and scored her first hit in 1949 with “So Long.”