Mel Brown Nominated for the CBC Saturday Night Blues Great Canadian Blues Award Mel Brown is one of the nominees for the CBC Saturday Night Blues Great Canadian Blues Award. To cast your vote, go to http://www.cbc.ca/snb/ The voting and contest runs from May 28, 2011 to midnight, June 22, 2011. The winner will be announced on the final show of the season on June 25, 2011.
New Mel Brown CD Release Party
Sat. Oct. 23rd 6:00 pm - 1:00 am PLEASE NOTE THE BRAND NEW LOCATION New Location : Edelweiss Tavern, 600 Doon Village Road, Kitchener, Ontario 519-748-0221
Mel Brown "Love, Lost and Found" CD Release Party with Miss Angel and the New Homewreckers plus Rev. Tim Bailey & The Ministry Choir - Direct from Mississippi The Original Homewreckers Juno Award Winner - Julian Fauth Shawn Kellerman Steve Strongman Plus Many More Tickets $50 Dinner & Entertainment with Silent Auction
New Mel Brown CD - September 2010
MEL BROWN "Love, Lost and Found" With Snooky Pryor, Sam Myers, Miss Angel and Enrico Crivellaro "Mel Brown...those are shoes that will never be filled, I learned so much from him" – BUDDY GUY "Man, You Play Some Good Guitar" – JIMI HENDRIX (1967) "Mel Brown was Funky, Primeval and Perfect" – ROLLING STONE SONG LIST: 1. Love, Lost and Found 2. My Baby Wants To Boogie 3. You Were Wrong, Pretty Baby 4. Red Wine and Moonshine 5. Little Girl From Maine 6. Pattern B 7. Blues in the Alley 8. Feel Like Jumpin' 9. Come Back Baby 10. Slow Moan 11. Under The Counter Blues 12. Hoochie Coochie Man No other Mississippi Bluesman wore more musical hats than the late Guitar and Keyboard Legend MEL BROWN (1939-2009). In a career that spanned 55 years, Mel recorded with T-Bone Walker, B.B. King, Bobby Blue Bland, John Lee Hooker, Snooky Pryor, Billy Boy Arnold, Johnny Otis, Lightning Hopkins, Albert Collins, as well as with Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson in Nashville, plus Bobby Darin, Bill Cosby and Sonny & Cher in Hollywood. His 5 Solo LP’s recorded for ABC Impulse/Bluesway between 1967 – 72, are now prized collector’s items, and his Electro-Fi Records debut "Neck Bones & Caviar" won the prestigious 2000 W.C. Handy Award as "Blues Comeback Album of the Year". "Love, Lost and Found" is Mel Brown’s Final Studio Recording completed shortly before his passing in 2009, with unreleased tracks from Special Guests: SNOOKY PRYOR, SAM MYERS, MISS ANGEL and ENRICO CRIVELLARO, it’s nothing less than the stellar last chapter in the Musical Legacy of a man LIVING BLUES Magazine described as “ One of the Finest Electric Blues Guitarists in the World”.
May 17, 2010 Mississippi Blues Singer & Songwriter MISS ANGEL is keeping very busy these days, performing regularily at the Boathouse in Kitchener with a brand new version of the Homewreckers. She'll also be performing at the Kitchener Blues Festival in August and has a recording project in the works. Coming Soon: News on the release of " Love Lost and Found " the album Mel Brown was working on at the time of his passing, featuring all previously unreleased material from the Guitar Master with Special Guests: Snooky Pryor, Miss Angel and Finis Tasby.
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March 20, 2010
This video is presented to celebrate the life of MEL BROWN on the first anniversary of his passing (March 20,2009), an artist, Andrew Galloway and I were both fortunate enough to work with, and who through his music, friendship and generosity transformed both our lives for the better. Andrew Galloway Electro-Fi Records Mako Funasaka Talkin' Blues Media
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September 2, 2009
Mel Brown T-Shirt: Honour the Memory of Blues Guitar Legend MEL BROWN with this ultra-cool Limited Edition (500 only) T-Shirt, which features a classic shot of Mel by Electro-Fi's Gary Collver on a black 100% heavy Cotton Gildan high quality T-Shirt. All profits from the sale of this T-Shirt go to Mel's wilfe Miss Angel. Sizes: Large, XL and XXL. To order a T-Shirt, go to www.electrofi.com and click on the T-Shirt option.
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April 30, 2009 (9:30 am ET) Harold Albrecht (Member of Parliament for Kitchener-Conestoga) pays tribute to Mel Brown in House of Commons. (April 20, 2009) You may require Adobe Flash Player to view this video. Click here to download Flash Player.
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April 6, 2009 (10:55 pm ET) Click here to view Eric Thom's article about Mel Brown in the April edition of Maple Blues Newsletter.
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April 5, 2009 (9:55 pm ET) Click here to view an article (in pdf format) by Errol Nazareth of the Toronto Sun about Mel Brown.
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March 30, 2009 (12:57 pmET) In order to accommodate Mel's friends, fans and family who are unable to travel to Kitchener to attend his funeral. The service will be available online at the free streaming service www.popularminority.com. Saturday April 4th at 1pm EST. The Rev.Bobby Bowen of Mississippi will perform the service which will include musical tributes from Shawn Kellerman and the Homewreckers, Diana Braithwaite & Chris Whiteley, Steve Strongman and Julian Fauth. Please see below for the details on the Visitation and Funeral. |
March 28, 2009 (9:35 pm ET) Here's a link to a video honouring Mel Brown produced by Philip Bast. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qq27_iMArck
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March 26, 2009 (6:20 pm ET) The Toronto Blues Society has set up an account to help support the estate of blues legend Mel Brown who passed away on Friday, March 20th. Donations can deposit directly at any TD Canada Trust Bank to the Mel Brown Memorial Trust, Account 1952-6290076. Cheques payable to "Mel Brown Memorial Trust" can also be mailed to: Toronto Blues Society
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March 23, 2009 (10.57 pm ET) Mel Brown Visitation will take place at: Ratz-Bechtel Funeral Home 621 King Street West Kitchener, Ontario telephone: 519.745.9495 website: www.ratzbechtelfuneralhome.com Visitation: April 2 & 3: 2:00 - 4:00 pm & 7:00 - 9:00 pm
The Gig Music Hall 137 Ontario Street Kitchener, Ontario Saturday April 4th at 1pm Reception to follow
No cameras or cell phones permitted
A memorial tribute "Mel's Last Party" is in the planning stages
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March 21, 2009 (10:24 am ET) We are deeply saddened to report the loss of our dear friend, the Blues Legend Mel Brown. Born Oct.7th, 1939 in Jackson, Mississippi, Mel passed away Friday March 20th, 2009 at St. Mary's Hospital in Kitchener, Ontario. Funeral arrangements will be posted as soon as they become available. "Mel Brown is Funky, Primeval and Perfect" - Rolling Stone "Mel Brown is Dangerously Intense and so good it almost isn't fair" - Blues Revue
Here's an article written by Terry Pender of The Record in Kitchener about Mel. http://news.therecord.com/article/507047 Andrew Galloway
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March 19, 2009 (8:15 pm ET) We will be posting regular updates on Mel Brown and his health challenges with information received directly from Miss Angel. On Wednesday March 18th, Mel was taken off the ventillator and has been breathing on his own, he is sleeping much of the time as the doctors try to build up his strength. He remains in the Intensive Care Unit, where we hope to be allowed to visit him briefly on Friday. We will update the site for Mel's many friends and fans whenever new information becomes available. Please keep Mel and Miss Angel in your thoughts and prayers. Andrew Galloway Mako Funasaka
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The curent Episode of the Talkin' Blues Podcast - episode 12 features Mel Brown performing "Red Cross Store". This is in honor of Mr. Brown.
November 2008 Mel Brown appears in a video podcast with Billy Boy Arnold, Billy Flynn, Bob Stroger and Willie Smith. If you have iTunes on your computer and you wish to download the podcast to your iPod, click here. You may also view the podcast on the player below - just click on episode one.
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June 2007 Mel Brown The DVD has been nominated in the Reader's Choice Best Blues DVD of 2006 by the Living Blues Magazine. To add your vote, click here to go to the Living Blues Magazine site.
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January 2007 Happy New Year, everyone! We've added some videos on YouTube.com. One features Mel playing his instrumental "Crosstown" at Liquid, in Toronto. The other features Miss Angel singing "Just Your Fool" during the "That's the way I Tumble" recording sessions. In addition to these videos, we've also added Finis Tasby's video of "America" recorded as Liquid in Toronto. This song features Mel on guitar along with Enrico Crivellaro, Alec Fraser, Jimmy Boudreau and Finis Tasby. We hope you enjoy them.
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November 2006 Mel Brown has been nominated for three Maple Blues Awards - Electric Act of the Year, Recording of the Year and Guitarist of the Year. To cast your vote, please register at www.mapleblues.ca. The Maple Blues Award will take place at The Mod Club Theatre (722 College Street, West, Toronto) on Monday, January 15, 2007.
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November 2006 Mel Brown and Miss Angel have been kind enough to do paintings in support of kidney research in Canada.� The paintings, part of A Brush of Hope - Celebrity Paintings for Kidney Research, are now available on eBay for fans to bid on! � Please check out Mel's painting at Miss Angel's painting is at
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October 2004 Here's an update on our good friend Mel Brown. Mel has suffered with respiratory problems for the last few years and shortly after arriving at the Silver Dollar room for his birthday bash gig on Oct.16th he became ill and was taken to Mount Sinai hospital with breathing difficulties. I was able to visit him several times and of course Miss Angel never left his side. As the week went on he improved steadily and last night he was transferred to St. Mary's Hospital in Kitchener where he will continue to recuperate. Many thanks to all who came out to see Mel at the Dollar and many thanks to Mel's band The Homewreckers (John Lee, Al Richardson, Jim Boudreau) who along with two real gentlemen, Shawn Kellerman and Sherman Lee Dillon from Jackson Mississippi,stepped in and put on a great show. Right now all our thoughts are on wishing Mel a speedy recovery. If you wish to send a message to Mel, please feel free to add your thoughts to the Guest Book or if you would prefer to send a card, please send it to: Mel Brown c/o Electri-Fi Records Box 191 Lasalle Stn. Niagara Falls, N.Y. 14304 U.S.A. or Mel Brown c/o Electro-Fi Records 40 Beaverdale Rd. Toronto, Ontario M8Y 3Y4 CANADA
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September 2004 Electro-Fi Records are pleased to announce a very special Toronto appearance by W.C. Handy Award and Blues With A Feeling Award winner MEL BROWN who will be celebrating his 65th Birthday at the Silver Dollar Room on Saturday October 16th at 8pm. Helping Mel celebrate will be his ultra tight band The Homewreckers featuring John Lee on keyboards, Al Richardson on bass, Jim Boudreau on drums and Miss Angel, vocals.Described by Living Blues magazine as "one of the last great blues guitar players of his generation" and by ROLLING STONE in April 2004 as "Funky, primeval and perfect". Mel Brown is a true virtuoso of the blues guitar. An Electro-Fi artist since 1999, Mel's CD "Neck Bones & Caviar" won the prestigous W.C. Handy Award for "Blues Comeback Album of the Year" in 2001. BLUES REVUE hailed the CD as "Dangerously intense, first rate and so good it almost isn't fair". Don't miss this chance to celebrate the 65th Birthday of both a great guy and a true blues original.Join Mel Brown and the Homewreckers at the Silver Dollar Room on Saturday October 16th. Showtime is 8pm. www.silverdollarroom.com For more info visit: www.electrofi.com Andrew Galloway President P.S. Speaking of Blues Legends and their birthdays. Many Happy Returns to Electro-Fi artist SNOOKY PRYOR who turns 83 years young on Wednesday September 15th. For those in the Kitchener area, there will be a 65 th Birthday Bash at the Wax in Kitchener on October 5th, at 6:00 pm. Come and join Mel celebrate his birthday.
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January 2004 Mel Brown toured with Snooky Pryor and the Mississippi Wrecking Crew in Europe this past summer. He In a ceremony held in Toronto, January 19th at the Maple Blues Awards (Canada's Handy's) Mel Brown was awarded the "Blues With a Feeling" Lifetime Achievement Award. mel was selected from an outstanding field of nominees by the board of the Toronto Blues Society. electro-Fi Record's andrew Galloway accepted the award on Mel's behalf and was treated to a special video tribute to Mel. The video featured heartfelt tributes to Mel from such old friends as B.B. King, Snooky Pryor, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Marcia Ball, Little Milton, Rusty Zinn, Willie Smith and Bob Stroger. Mel would like to sincerely thank his many friends and fans in Canada. Mel has just completed work on his old friend SAM MYER'S solo outing and Electro-Fi debut "Coming From The Old School". Mel provided his usual stellar guitar work as well as some first rate piano and B-3. The disc has an early summer release date. Speaking of excellent discs, after a well deserved break, (Mel and Miss Angel will be spending the month of February in Mississippi), Mel will resume work on both his upcoming studio recording "Blues: A Beautiful Thing" and Miss Angel's Electro-Fi debut, "That's The Way I Tumble". Check this site for release dates.
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November 2003 Mel Brown toured with Snooky Pryor and the Mississippi Wrecking Crew in Europe this past summer. He recently appeared in the "Blues on the East Side" Benefit in Cambridge, Ontario with the Homewreckers. Mel is currently in the studio working on his brand new CD which is scheduled to be released next year. |
