HMR Project: History of Music & Modern Recording

Cecil Brower

Born on 28 November 1914 in Belleview, Texas, northeast of Dallas, classically trained violinist Cecil Brower lived in California for a time as a child before getting moved to Ft. Worth, Texas, in 1924. He began his professional career in radio with the Southern Melody Boys, playing for WBAP and KTAT in Fort Worth [Wikipedia]. He majored in music at Texas Christian University and played for a brief time with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra before replacing Bob Wills in Milton Brown's Musical Brownies in 1933.

Tony Russell's 'Country Music Records' (CMR) has Brower with the Brownies on April 4, 1934, at the Texas Hotel in San Antonio for titles like 'The Brownie's Stomp' / 'Joe Turner Blues' (Bluebird 5775). Other than Brown at vocals, others in the Brownies at that time were Derwood Brown (guitar), Ocie Stockard (guitar / banjo), Fred Calhoun (piano) and Wanna Coffman (upright bass). Steel guitarist, Bob Dunn, would join in time for a January 27, 1935, session in Chicago in which Brower didn't participate. Their initial session together with the Brownies was on March 3, 1936, in New Orleans for such as 'Somebody's Been Using That Thing' (Decca 5201). Among other recordings they made with the Brownies was 'Ida! Sweet as Apple Cider' (Decca 5325 '37) on March 5 of 1936.

'Brownie's Stomp' Cecil Brower w Milton Brown & the Musical Brownies

4 April 1934 in San Antonio Matrix BS-82795-1 Bluebird B-5775

Guitar: Derwood Brown Banjo: Ocie Stockard Violin: Brower

Piano: Fred Calhoun Bass: Wanna Coffman

Composition: Brown

'Oh You Pretty Woman' Cecil Brower w Milton Brown & the Musical Brownies

4 April 1934 in San Antonio Matrix BS-82795-1 Bluebird B-5775

Guitar: Derwood Brown Banjo: Ocie Stockard Violin: Brower

Piano: Fred Calhoun Bass: Wanna Coffman

Composition: Dan Parker

Upon Brown's death in April of 1936 Brower worked for WRR radio in Dallas [TSHA], then continued the career for which he became so well-known, backing and featuring virtuoso with various musicians, his trail something drawing together a good portion of the major cast of country music in the thirties and forties. Come Roy Newman and His Boys on November 8, 1936, in Ft. Worth for unissued titles: 'Hot Potato Soup', 'Everybody's Blues', 'There's a Silver Moon on the Golden Gate' and 'Too Busy!'. Brower was with Newman on June 6 of 1937 in Dallas for such as 'When You and I Were Young' /' We'll Meet by the Bend of the River' (Vocalion 03598).

'Graveyard Blues' Cecil Brower w Roy Newman & His Boys

18 June 1937 in Dallas Matrix DAL 366-2 Vocalion 03963

Clarinet: Holly Horton

Guitar: Jim Boyd / Randall Neal / Earl Brown (vocal)

Steel guitar: Bob Dunn Banjo: Walker Kirkes Violin: Brower

Piano: Roy Newman Bass: Ish Erwin

Composition: Ida Cox

Come Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys on June 7 and 8 of 1937 for such as 'White Heat' (Vocalion 03614) and 'Tie Me to Your Apron Strings' (Vocalion 03854). It was Newman and His Boys again on June 14 and 18 of 1937 for such as 'Takin' Off' / 'Mississippi Mud' (Vocalion 04025) and 'I'm Saving Saturday Night for You' / 'Catch On and Let's Go' (Vocalion 03672). The title below breaks chronological order, having been recorded prior to 'Graveyard Blues' above.

'Playboy Stomp' Cecil Brower w Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys

7 June 1937 in Dallas Matrix DAL 215-1 Vocalion 03963

Trumpet: Everett Stover Trombone: Robert Dunn

Sax: Ray DeGeer (clarinet) / Zeb McNally

Guitar: Herman Arnspiger / Sleepy Johnson (fiddle)

Steel guitar: Leon McAuliffe Banjo: Johnnie Lee Wills

Violin: Wills / Jesse Ashlock / Brower

Piano: Al Stricklin Bass: Joe Ferguson Drums: Smokey Dacus

'Steel Guitar Stomp' Cecil Brower w Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys

7 June 1937 in Dallas Matrix DAL 216-3 Vocalion 03997

Trumpet: Everett Stover Trombone: Robert Dunn

Sax: Ray DeGeer (clarinet) / Zeb McNally

Guitar: Herman Arnspiger / Sleepy Johnson (fiddle)

Steel guitar: Leon McAuliffe Banjo: Johnnie Lee Wills

Violin: Wills / Jesse Ashlock / Brower

Piano: Al Stricklin Bass: Joe Ferguson Drums: Smokey Dacus

Brower exchanged country arrangements for jazz arrangements upon performing in the orchestra of Ted Fio Rito to 1939. Brower would accompany Newman again in Dallas for a couple sessions in later June of 1939 after joining the Light Crust Doughboys on the June 14 of 1939 for such as 'Let's Make Believe We're Sweethearts' (Vocalion 05269).

'I'll Keep On Loving You' Cecil Brower w the Light Crust Doughboys

10 Sep 1939 in Saginaw TX Matrix W 25317-1 Vocalion 05120

Guitar: Ramon DeArman (vocal) / Muryel Campbell (electric)

Steel guitar: Leon McAuliffe Banjo: Marvin Montgomery

Violin: Kenneth Pitts / Brower

Piano: John W. "Knocky" Parker Bass: Jim Boyd

Composition: Floyd Tillman

Come Al Dexter on March 4 and 5, 1941, at radio WBAP in Fort Worth for such as 'Down at the Roadside Inn' / 'It's Too Late to Say You're Sorry Now' (Okeh 06127) and 'Darling It's All Over Now' / 'Who's Been Here?' (Okeh 06397). The next month on April 24, 1941, Brower supported Patsy Montana on such as 'I'm Gonna Have a Cowboy Wedding' / 'Sunny San Antone' (Decca 5972). Montana's band at that time consisted of JB Brinkley (guitar), Marvin Montgomery (guitar) and Joe Ferguson (upright bass).

'The Money You Spent Was Mine' Cecil Brower w Al Dexter & His Troopers

4 March 1941 at WBAP Radio in Ft. Worth Matrix DAL 1219-1 OKeh 06206

Guitar: J.B. Brinkley Steel guitar: Ted Daffan

Violin: Brower Bass: Joe Ferguson Washboard: Aubrey Gass

Composition: Gass / Dexter

'Sunny San Antone' Cecil Brower w Patsy Montana & Her Pardners

24 April 1941 in Dallas Matrix DAL 93657-A Decca 5972

Guitar: J.B. Brinkley / Marvin Montgomery

Violin: Brower Bass: Joe Ferguson

Composition: Lee Penny / Montana

In 1942 Brower joined the US Coast Guard until the end of World War II. Back to life as a civilian, on November 19 of 1945 he joined Bill Boyd and his Cow Ramblers at the Jefferson Hotel in Dallas for 'Down the Trail to San Antone' (RCA Victor 20-1888), 'I Wish We'd Never Met' (RCA Victor 20-2172) and 'Roadside Rag' / 'These Tears Are Not for You' (RCA Victor 20-1793). He then formed his Hi-Flyers in 1946 before his Cowboy Band in 1947 which became the Kilocycle Cowboys in 1948.

Brower was in Leon McAuliffe's swing band for 'Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy' / 'Rag Mop' (Columbia 20669) released in 1950. He issued a couple of square dance albums in 1962 on Smash Records, one with calls, the other without, titled 'America's Favorite Square Dances' [Smash Album Discography].

'Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy' / 'Rag Mop'

Cecil Brower w Leon McAuliffe & His Western Swing Band

2 Jan 1950 in Tulsa Matrix CO 42636 Columbia 20669

9 Jan 190 in Tulsa Matrix CO 42637 Columbia 20669

Trumpet: Bobby Lee Clarinet / sax: Murel Johnson

Guitar: Bob Kiser Violin: Bobby Bruce / Jimmy Hall / Brower

Piano: Moe Billington Bass: Ted Adams Drums: Sal Gamboa

Composition: Harry Stone / Jack Stapp

Composition: Deacon Anderson / Johnnie Lee Wills

'Billboard' has Brower issuing 'Old Fashion Country Hoedown' in 1963, the same year he appeared on 'The Jimmy Dean Show'. DAHR traces him as far as 2 February 1964 in Nashville backing Burl Ives.