Ruth Brown

Ruth Brown (born Ruth Alston Weston, January 12, 1928 – November 17, 2006) was an American singer‑songwriter and actress celebrated as the “Queen of R&B”. She pioneered the integration of pop sensibilities into rhythm‑and‑blues, delivering a string of chart‑topping hits for Atlantic Records in the 1950s such as “So Long”, “Teardrops from My Eyes” and “(Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean”. Her powerful voice and charismatic stage presence helped Atlantic earn the nickname “the house that Ruth built”, and she amassed 21 Top‑10 R&B hits, five of which reached number one, cementing her reputation as a trailblazer in a segregated music industry. After a quieter period in the 1960s, Brown re‑emerged in the mid‑1970s, expanding her career into television, film and Broadway; she earned a Tony Award for her performance in Black and Blue and won a Grammy for the original cast recording. A relentless advocate for musicians’ rights, she spearheaded the creation of the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1988, securing royalty protections for countless artists. Her later recordings, including the Grammy‑winning Blues on Broadway and the acclaimed R + B = Ruth Brown, showcased her versatility across jazz, blues and gospel styles. Brown’s influence extended beyond music; she hosted the NPR‑affiliated program Blues Stage and authored the autobiography Miss Rhythm. She remained an active performer until her death at age 78 in Nevada, leaving a legacy honored by inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame and the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame.