Milton Brown & His Musical Brownies

Many aren't aware that country western music has roots in New York City created by such as Vernon Dalhart and Frank Luther, not a lot like the folk traditions which developed into country music featured at such as the conservative 'Grand Ol Opry' in Nashville. Indeed, the 'Grand Ol Opry' forbade country western swing on its stage for a number of years due to its use of instruments like drums, its development as a popular rather than folk form, and its close relationship with big bands, jazz and Hollywood. Just so, vocalist Milton Brown's Musical Brownies performed not only country music but numerous titles pulled from the jazz realm which would later make their way into rhythm and blues as well. Brown was born on 8 September 1903 in Stephenville, Texas, getting moved as a teenager to Fort Worth. After graduating from high school he sold cigars. It was 1930 when he and brother, Derwood Brown (guitar), formed the Wills Fiddle Band in Ft. Worth with Bob Wills at fiddle and Herman Arnspiger at guitar. Wikipedia has them touring the Dallas-Fort Worth region with medicine shows and broadcasting on WBAP where they became the Aladdin Laddies for the Aladdin Lamp Company. In 1931 they became the Light Crust Doughboys at radio KFJZ, singing for Light Crust Flour. Tony Russell's 'Country Music Records' (CMR) has the Light Crust Doughboys recording as the Fort Worth Doughboys in Dallas on February 9, 1932, to lay out 'Nancy Jane' with 'Sunbonnet Sue' toward Victor 23653. Arnspiger was out on that, his place filled by Sleepy Johnson at guitar. Those saw release in March of 1932 per 45 Worlds.

'Nancy Jane'   Fort Worth Doughboys

9 Feb 1932 at the Jefferson Hotel in Fort Worth   Matrix BVE-70670   Bluebird B-5257

Guitar: Derwood Brown / Sleepy Johnson   Fiddle: Bob Wills   Vocal: Milton Brown

Composition: Milton Brown

'Sunbonnet Sue'   Fort Worth Doughboys

9 Feb 1932 at the Jefferson Hotel in Fort Worth   Matrix BVE-70671   Bluebird B-5257

Guitar: Derwood Brown / Sleepy Johnson   Fiddle: Bob Wills   Vocal: Milton Brown

Composition: Milton Brown

Derwood and Milton left the Doughboys in 1932 to form the Musical Brownies with which they played the Crystal Springs Dance Hall in Fort Worth from 1933 to 1936. CMR has their initial session at the Texas Hotel in San Antonio on April 4 of 1934. Their first two titles were issued last in 1935: 'Joe Turner Blues' / 'Brownie's Stomp' (Bluebird 5775). Other tracks had seen issue in May, June and July of 1934: 'Oh You Pretty Woman!' / 'Swinging on the Garden Gate' (Bluebird 5444), 'Do the Hula' / 'Four, Five or Six Times' (Bluebird 5485) and 'My Precious Sonny Boy' /' Garbage Man Blues' (Bluebird 5485). Milton's Brownies in that session consisted of his brother, Derwood, Cecil Brower (fiddle), Ocie Stockard (banjo / guitar), Fred Calhoun (piano) and Wanna Coffman (bass).

'Brownies Stomp'   Milton Brown and His Musical Brownies

First recording by the Musical Brownies

4 April 1934 at the Texas Hotel in San Antonio   Matrix BVE-82795   Bluebird B-5775

Guitar: Derwood Brown / Ocie Stockard (banjo)

Fiddle: Cecil Brower   Piano: Fred Calhoun   Vocal: Milton Brown

Composition: Milton Brown

'Swinging on the Garden Gate'   Milton Brown and His Musical Brownies

4 April 1934 at the Texas Hotel in San Antonio   Matrix BVE-82799   Bluebird B-5444

Guitar: Derwood Brown / Ocie Stockard (banjo)

Fiddle: Cecil Brower   Piano: Fred Calhoun   Vocal: Milton Brown

Composition: Milton Brown

Electric steel guitarist, Robert Dunn (1908-71) joined the Musical Brownies in 1934, his first tracks with the band at a session on January 27, 1935, in Chicago resulting in such as 'Put on Your Old Grey Bonnet' / 'Some of These Days' (Decca 5134) and 'Pray for the Lights to Go Out' / 'Down by the O-H-I-O' (Decca 5111). Brown's Brownies were a brief rival to Wills' Texas Playboys before Brown was killed on April 18 of 1936 when the car he was driving smashed into a telephone pole. His last session had been in New Orleans on March 5 of 1936 for titles like 'A Thousand Good Nights' / 'Baby Keep Stealin'' (Decca 5255). CMR lists his last recording as 'The Old Gray Mare' toward Decca 5260 flip side to the earlier sessioned 'Yes Sir!'.

'Some Of These Days'   Milton Brown and His Musical Brownies

27 Jan 1935 at the Furniture Mart Building in Chicago   Matrix C 9704   Decca 5134

Guitar: Derwood Brown / Ocie Stockard (banjo)

Steel guitar: Bob (Robert) Dunn

Fiddle: Cecil Brower   Piano: Fred Calhoun

Bass: Wanna Coffman   Vocal: Milton Brown

Composition: Milton Brown

'Darktown Strutters Ball'   Milton Brown and His Musical Brownies

28 Jan 1935 at the Furniture Mart Building in Chicago   Matrix C 9732   Decca 5179

Guitar: Derwood Brown / Ocie Stockard (banjo)

Steel guitar: Bob (Robert) Dunn

Fiddle: Cecil Brower   Piano: Fred Calhoun

Bass: Wanna Coffman   Vocal: Milton Brown

Composition: Shelton Brooks

'Going Up Brushy Fork'   Milton Brown and His Musical Brownies

28 Jan 1935 at the Furniture Mart Building in Chicago   Matrix C 9737  Decca 5174

Guitar: Derwood Brown / Ocie Stockard (banjo)

Steel guitar: Bob (Robert) Dunn

Fiddle: Cecil Brower   Piano: Fred Calhoun

Bass: Wanna Coffman   Vocal: Milton Brown

Composition: See Matteson Art

'Somebody's Been Using That Thing'   Milton Brown and His Musical Brownies

3 March 1936 at the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans   Matrix 60610   Decca 5201

Guitar: Derwood Brown / Ocie Stockard (banjo)

Steel guitar: Bob (Robert) Dunn

Fiddle: Cecil Brower / Cliff Bruner   Piano: Fred Calhoun

Bass: Wanna Coffman   Vocal: Milton Brown

Composition: Al Miller   1929

'Right Or Wrong'   Milton Brown and His Musical Brownies

4 March 1936 at the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans   Matrix 60645   Decca 5342

Guitar: Derwood Brown / Ocie Stockard (banjo)

Steel guitar: Bob (Robert) Dunn

Fiddle: Cecil Brower / Cliff Bruner   Piano: Fred Calhoun

Bass: Wanna Coffman   Vocal: Milton Brown

Music:: Arthur Sizemore / Paul Biese   Lyrics: Haven Gillespie   1921

'Keep a Knockin' (But You Can't Come In)'   Milton Brown and His Musical Brownies

5 March 1936 at the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans   Matrix 60656   Decca 5251

Guitar: Derwood Brown / Ocie Stockard (banjo)

Steel guitar: Bob (Robert) Dunn

Fiddle: Cecil Brower / Cliff Bruner   Piano: Fred Calhoun

Bass: Wanna Coffman   Vocal: Milton Brown

Composition: See Wikipedia

Brower moved on to work in radio after Milton's death. Dunn moved on to partnerships with Cliff Bruner and Moon Mullican. He died in Houston on May 27, 1971, to be posthumously elected into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 1992. Derwood, Calhoun, Coffman and Stockard reorganized the Musical Brownies for a last session in Dallas with Jimmie Davis on February 19, 1937, as the Musical Cowboys to yield such as 'Confessin' (That I Love You)' / 'Cross Patch' (Decca 5413) and 'Louis Louis Blues' / 'I Just Want Your Stingaree' (Decca 5371). Also in that session were Robert Buchanan (fiddle), Johnny Borowski (fiddle) and Wilson Perkins (electric steel).

'Honky Tonk Blues'   Jimmie Davis (vocal) and Brown's Musical Brownies

Final recording by the Musical Brownies

19 Feb 1937 at the Adolphus Hotel in Dallas   Matrix 61872   Decca 5400

Guitar: Derwood Brown / Ocie Stockard (banjo)

Steel guitar: Wilson Perkins

Fiddle: Robert Buchanan / Johnny Borowski   Piano: Fred Calhoun

Bass: Wanna Coffman

Derwood would come to working in construction during World War II, after which he formed a band in Denton, Texas, before ending up in the oil industry in Colorado. He died on December 24, 1978, in Fort Worth. Coffman and Stockard moved onward to form their own band, the latter to eventually join Wills' Texas Playboys in the forties.