Milton Brown

Milton Brown

Milton Brown (September 8, 1903 – April 18, 1936) was an American band leader and vocalist who co-founded the genre of Western swing. His band was the first to fuse hillbilly hokum, jazz, and pop together into a unique, distinctly American hybrid, thus giving him the nickname, "Father of Western Swing". The birthplace of Brown's upbeat "hot-jazz hillbilly" string band sound was developed at the Crystal Springs Dance Hall in Fort Worth, Texas, from 1931 to 1936. Along with Bob Wills, with whom he performed at the beginning of his career, Brown developed the sound and style of Western swing in the early 1930s. For a while, he and his band, the Musical Brownies, were more popular than Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys. Brown's career was cut short in 1936 when he died following a car accident.

Birth and Death Data: Born September 7, 1903 (Stephenville), Died April 18, 1936 (Fort Worth)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1932 - 1937

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, leader, director, composer, lyricist, speaker

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
Victor	BVE-70670	10-in.	2/9/1932	Sunbonnet Sue	Light Crust Doughboys	Male vocal solo, with fiddle (violin) and 2 guitars	composer, lyricist, leader, vocalist
Victor	BVE-70671	10-in.	2/9/1932	Nancy Jane	Light Crust Doughboys	Male vocal ensemble, with fiddle (violin) and 2 guitars	composer, lyricist, vocalist
Victor	BVE-82795	10-in.	4/4/1934	Brownie's stomp	Milton Brown ; Musical Brownies	String band, with piano	composer, leader
Victor	BVE-82796	10-in.	4/4/1934	Joe Turner blues	Milton Brown ; Musical Brownies	String band, with piano	leader
Victor	BVE-82797	10-in.	4/4/1934	Oh you pretty woman	Milton Brown ; Musical Brownies	String band, with male vocal solo and piano	vocalist, leader
Victor	BVE-82798	10-in.	4/4/1934	My precious sonny boy	Milton Brown ; Musical Brownies	String band, with male vocal solo and piano	vocalist, leader
Victor	BVE-82799	10-in.	4/4/1934	Swinging on the garden gate	Milton Brown ; Musical Brownies	String band, with male vocal solo and piano	composer, lyricist, vocalist, leader
Victor	BVE-82800	10-in.	4/4/1934	Do the hula lou	Milton Brown ; Musical Brownies	String band, with male vocal solo and piano	vocalist, leader
Victor	BVE-82801	10-in.	4/4/1934	Garbage man blues	Milton Brown ; Musical Brownies	String band, with male vocal solo, vocal chorus, and piano	vocalist, leader
Victor	BVE-82802	10-in.	4/4/1934	Four, five or six times	Milton Brown ; Musical Brownies	String band, with male vocal solo, vocal chorus, and piano	vocalist, leader
Victor	BVE-83860	10-in.	8/8/1934	Where you been so long, Corinne?	Milton Brown ; Musical Brownies	Male vocal duet, with instrumental ensemble	director, vocalist
Victor	BVE-83861	10-in.	8/8/1934	Talking about you	Milton Brown ; Musical Brownies	Vocal and instrumental ensemble	director, vocalist
Victor	BVE-83862	10-in.	8/8/1934	Just sitting on top of the world	Milton Brown ; Musical Brownies	Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble	director, vocalist
Victor	BVE-83863	10-in.	8/8/1934	Take it slow and easy	Milton Brown ; Musical Brownies	Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble	vocalist, director
Victor	BVE-83864	10-in.	8/8/1934	Get along, Cindy	Milton Brown ; Musical Brownies	Vocal and instrumental ensemble	director, vocalist
Victor	BVE-83865	10-in.	8/8/1934	Trinity waltz	Milton Brown ; Musical Brownies	Instrumental ensemble	director
Victor	BVE-83866	10-in.	8/8/1934	Love land and you	Milton Brown ; Musical Brownies	Vocal and instrumental ensemble, with talk	director, speaker, vocalist
Victor	BVE-83867	10-in.	8/8/1934	This morning, this evening so soon	Milton Brown ; Musical Brownies	Vocal and instrumental ensemble	director, vocalist
Victor	BVE-83868	10-in.	8/8/1934	Girl of my dreams	Milton Brown ; Musical Brownies	Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble	director, vocalist
Victor	BVE-83869	10-in.	8/8/1934	Loveless love	Milton Brown ; Musical Brownies	Vocal and instrumental ensemble	director, vocalist
Brunswick	DAL230	10-in.	6/7/1937	Sunbonnet Sue	Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys	String band, with male vocal solo	composer, lyricist
Decca	60610	10-in.	3/3/1936	Somebody's been using that thing	Milton Brown		vocalist, leader
Decca	60611	10-in.	3/3/1936	The Sheik of Araby	Milton Brown		vocalist, leader
Decca	60612	10-in.	3/3/1936	Beale Street Mama	Milton Brown		vocalist, leader
Decca	60613	10-in.	3/3/1936	Mama don't allow it	Milton Brown		vocalist, leader
Decca	60614	10-in.	3/3/1936	Our baby boy	Milton Brown		vocalist, leader
Decca	60615	10-in.	3/3/1936	Mexicali rose	Milton Brown		vocalist, leader
Decca	60616	10-in.	3/3/1936	Stay on the right side sister	Milton Brown		vocalist, leader
Decca	60617	10-in.	3/3/1936	If you can't get five, take two	Milton Brown		vocalist, leader
Decca	60618	10-in.	3/3/1936	Cielito lindo (Beautiful heaven)	Milton Brown		vocalist, leader
Decca	60619	10-in.	3/3/1936	The waltz you saved for me	Milton Brown		vocalist, leader
Decca	60620	10-in.	3/3/1936	The eyes of Texas	Milton Brown		vocalist, leader
Decca	60621	10-in.	3/3/1936	I had someone else before I had you	Milton Brown		vocalist, leader
Decca	60622	10-in.	3/3/1936	I've got the blues for Mammy	Milton Brown		vocalist, leader
Decca	60623	10-in.	3/3/1936	Texas hambone blues	Milton Brown		vocalist, leader
Decca	60624	10-in.	3/3/1936	Easy ridin' Papa	Milton Brown		vocalist, leader
Decca	60625	10-in.	3/3/1936	Am I blue	Milton Brown		vocalist, leader
Decca	60626	10-in.	3/4/1936	The wheel of the wagon is broken	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60627	10-in.	3/4/1936	Memphis blues	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60628	10-in.	3/4/1936	Somebody stole my gal	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60629	10-in.	3/4/1936	Under the double eagle	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60630	10-in.	3/4/1936	Washington and Lee swing	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60631	10-in.	3/4/1936	When I'm gone don't you grieve	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60632	10-in.	3/4/1936	The sweetheart of Sigma Chi	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60633	10-in.	3/4/1936	An old water mill by a waterfall	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60634	10-in.	3/4/1936	The hesitation blues	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60635	10-in.	3/4/1936	Avalon	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60636	10-in.	3/4/1936	Sadie Green	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60637	10-in.	3/4/1936	Show me the way to go home	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60638	10-in.	3/4/1936	The yellow rose of Texas	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60639	10-in.	3/4/1936	The Roseland melody	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60640	10-in.	3/4/1936	My Galveston gal	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60641	10-in.	3/4/1936	Yes Sir!	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60642	10-in.	3/4/1936	La Golondrina	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60643	10-in.	3/4/1936	When I take my sugar to tea	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60644	10-in.	3/4/1936	Song of the wanderer-1	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60645	10-in.	3/4/1936	Right or wrong	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60646	10-in.	3/4/1936	Chinese honeymoon	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60647	10-in.	3/4/1936	Alice blue gown	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60648	10-in.	3/5/1936	Fan it	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60649	10-in.	3/5/1936	Tired of the same thing all the time	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60650	10-in.	3/5/1936	I'll string along with you	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60651	10-in.	3/5/1936	Goofus	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60652	10-in.	3/5/1936	Ida, sweet as apple cider	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60653	10-in.	3/5/1936	When it's harvest time, sweet Angeline	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60654	10-in.	3/5/1936	Carry me back to the lone prairie	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60655	10-in.	3/5/1936	A thousand good nights	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60656	10-in.	3/5/1936	Keep a-knockin'	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60657	10-in.	3/5/1936	Baby keep stealin'	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	60658	10-in.	3/5/1936	The old grey mare	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	L 9722	10-in.	1/28/1935	The house at the end of the lane	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9691	10-in.	1/27/1935	Put on your old grey bonnet	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9692	10-in.	1/27/1935	Pray for the lights to go out	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9693	10-in.	1/27/1935	In el Rancho Grande	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9694	10-in.	1/27/1935	Down by the O-H-I-O	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9695	10-in.	1/27/1935	I love you	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9696	10-in.	1/27/1935	Sweet Jennie Lee	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9697	10-in.	1/27/1935	A good man is hard to find	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9698	10-in.	1/27/1935	St. Louis blues	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9699	10-in.	1/27/1935	The object of my affection	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9700	10-in.	1/27/1935	Love in bloom	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9701	10-in.	1/27/1935	Chinatown, my Chinatown	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9702	10-in.	1/27/1935	Copenhagen	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9703	10-in.	1/27/1935	Brownie special	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9704	10-in.	1/27/1935	Some of these days	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9705	10-in.	1/27/1935	Wabash blues	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9707	10-in.	1/28/1935	El pajaro cantor	Trio Melodias Mexicanas		leader
Decca	C 9716	10-in.	1/28/1935	Beautiful Texas	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9717	10-in.	1/28/1935	Just a dream	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9718	10-in.	1/28/1935	Cheezy breeze	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9719	10-in.	1/28/1935	When I'm gone don't grieve	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9720	10-in.	1/28/1935	Who's sorry now	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9721	10-in.	1/28/1935	One of us was wrong	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9722	10-in.	1/28/1935	The house at the end of the lane	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9723	10-in.	1/28/1935	My Mary	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9724	10-in.	1/28/1935	You're tired of me	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9726	10-in.	1/28/1935	I'll be glad when you're dead, you rascal you	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9727	10-in.	1/28/1935	Sweet Georgia Brown	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9728	10-in.	1/28/1935	Shine on harvest moon	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9729	10-in.	1/28/1935	You're bound to look like a monkey	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9730	10-in.	1/28/1935	Wheezie Anna	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9731	10-in.	1/28/1935	Taking off	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9732	10-in.	1/28/1935	The Darktown Strutters' Ball	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9733	10-in.	1/28/1935	Crafton blues	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9734	10-in.	1/28/1935	Black and white rag	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9735	10-in.	1/28/1935	In the shade of the old apple tree	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9736	10-in.	1/28/1935	Little Betty Brown	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9737	10-in.	1/28/1935	Going up Brushy Fork	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader
Decca	C 9737	10-in.	1/28/1935	Going up Brushy Fork	Brownies [Milton Brown]		vocalist, leader

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Brown, Milton," accessed November 7, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/104157.

Brown, Milton. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 7, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/104157.

"Brown, Milton." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 7 November 2024.