Ruth Brown
Ruth Brown was a pioneering R&B singer known as the "Queen of R&B" and "Miss Rhythm" for her emotive voice and string of 1950s hits with Atlantic Records. She dominated the charts and helped build the label into a powerhouse, often called "The House That Ruth Built."
Ruth Alston Weston was born on January 12, 1928, in Portsmouth, Virginia, the eldest of seven children in a musical family. Her father directed a church choir and discouraged secular music, but she drew inspiration from Sarah Vaughan and Billie Holiday, singing in clubs by her late teens. At 17, she ran away with trumpeter Jimmy Brown—adopting his surname after a brief marriage—and performed in bars before briefly joining Lucky Millinder's orchestra.
After a 1948 car accident left her hospitalized for months, Brown recovered and signed with Atlantic Records in 1949, backed by influencers like Blanche Calloway and Willis Conover. Her debut "So Long" hit No. 4 on R&B charts, followed by her signature "Teardrops from My Eyes" in 1950, which topped Billboard's R&B list for 11 weeks and earned her the "tear in her voice" nickname for its emotional high notes. Hits like "(Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean," "5-10-15 Hours," and duets with Clyde McPhatter solidified her as Atlantic's first major star through the 1950s.
Brown left Atlantic in the early 1960s amid royalty disputes, facing financial hardship; she drove a bus, cleaned houses, and raised two sons while surviving four marriages. Her comeback began in the 1970s with acting in TV, film, and stage, including a Tony Award for Black and Blue in 1989 and a 1990 Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal. She advocated for musicians' rights, recovered unpaid royalties, and continued recording and touring into the 2000s.
Ruth Brown died on November 17, 2006, in Las Vegas from complications of a stroke and heart attack at age 78. She was inducted into halls of fame including Rock and Roll (1990) and Blues (1994), and her 1995 autobiography Miss Rhythm won acclaim.
Ruth Brown ’65
Written-By – Whiting, Clare 2:57
A2 Help A Good Girl Go Bad
Written-By – Brandt, Haimes 2:49
A3 He's A Real Gone Guy
Written-By – Lutcher 2:55
A4 Porgy
Written-By – Fields-McHugh 3:00
A5 What Am I Looking For
Written-By – Devens 2:29
A6 Here's That Rainy Day
Written-By – Burke-Van Heusen 2:47
B1 Hurry On Down
Written-By – Lutcher 2:39
B2 Table For Two
Written-By – Rankin, Batchelor 2:56
B3 What Do You Know (Que Sabes Tu)
Written-By – Salva, Vaughn 2:59
B4 Whispering Grass
Written-By – Doris Fisher, Fred Fisher 2:48
B5 Watch It
Written-By – Heyman 2:57
B6 I Know Why
Written-By – Warren, Gordon 2:52
Label: Mainstream Records – S6034
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1965
Genre: R&B Soul, Blues, Pop
Style: Rhythm & Blues, Soul, Rock & Roll
Ruth Brown '65 is an underrated, nicely produced mid-'60s album that sees the acclaimed R&B vocalist exploring a jazz vocal style with excellent performances throughout.
Reviewers on Amazon and other platforms generally praise the album as an "Excellent Mid 60's Vocal Outing".
Expert opinions highlight Brown's formidable voice, comparing her in presence and tone to Dinah Washington, and note her venture into jazz vocal outings on this record.
The sound quality of reissued versions, particularly from Japan and some vinyl reissues, is often noted as excellent and vibrant, bringing out individual instruments and percussion.
A pivotal album that demonstrated Brown's evolution beyond her 1950s R&B hits, proving her talent across genres and cementing her status as a versatile vocalist.