Listen: Sugar Babe / Buster Brown
Sugar

If you can’t get enough Buster Brown, you’ve come to the right place. Yeah, I know, I do go on about Buster Brown a bit. Maybe a result of totally missing him when current. Fair enough, I was a little tyke, but that didn’t stop me attaching to a bunch of other current RnB acts of the day.

Admittedly admitting the above, Buster Brown most likely got ignored by northeast programers consistently. Let’s be real, this stuff was way to earthy for them. Relegated to chitlin circuit radio and venues, Buster Brown clearly made little impact in
Syracuse, New York.

Acquired this earlier today amongst a big box of 45′s from an estate sale. $5 for the whole lot, about 300. Highway robbery in one respect, but I did get up at 5AM in the dead of winter and left the house with wet shower hair, so we’re even.

Thankfully, The Rolling Stones lifted his sound, riffs and songs back in’65, introducing him to us white suburban kids, if only by accident. Hopefully they paid him.

Listen: Fannie Mae / Buster Brown
Fannie Mae / Buster Brown

Buster Brown, at 48 years old, had his first BILLBOARD chart hit with ‘Fannie Mae’, scaling #1 on the RnB charts, and #38 Pop in December ’59.

Christmas in that decade meant loads of Lionel train sets under the trees, and plenty of heart attack inducing home baked cookies left out for Santa on Christmas Eve. Plus it must have been a great time to be on Fire Records. Just imagine going into the office, cupboards bulging with records, office staff in that truly giving holiday spirit and inviting you to have a pick through. Honestly, I get shivers at the thought.

Listen: Don’t Dog Your Woman / Buster Brown
Don't Dog Your Woman / Buster Brown

A few years later, he basically rewrote the song lyrically, becoming the brilliant ‘Don’t Dog Your Woman’. Everything about this, especially the harmonica, soon after identified with many of the songs on the first few Rolling Stones albums. I never recall them name checking him, though Roger reminded me that they may have recorded ‘Fannie Mae’ very early on.

Listen: The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man / The Rolling Stones
The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man / The Rolling Stones

I wonder if Buster Brown ever heard The Rolling Stones original composition ‘The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man’ and if so, what he thought of it?

I have a strong feeling they heard his.

Listen: Two Women / Buster Brown BusterBrown2Women.mp3

Another Detroit find (see previous post).

Buster Brown had his first hit, ‘Fannie Mae’ in, ’59. He was almost fifty at that point. He’s recorded for some of the best RnB labels ever: Fire and Checker, as well as small locals like Serock.

I learned a long time ago to never pass up a Buster Brown record. If you love the early Rolling Stones, here’s why.