Everett Brown
Murfreesboro, Tennessee, United States
Music
Press
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Musical Christmas Cheer
For me, the best Christmas spirit isn't found in what advertisers and media tell you about how you are supposed to spend your Christmas. It's about what's real, genuine and fun. Two events I went to this week were perfect examples.
WRFN's T.J. Kirby introducing Les Kerr and the Bayou Band
Les Kerr and the Bayou Band Christmas show, 3rd and Lindsley, 12/17/09
It was Christmas on the Bayou with Les Kerr and the Bayou Band. This annual show took a break for a couple of years but returned to its 3rd and Lindsley home this year. Lots of original and well-known tunes served up New Orleans style. Yes of course, those trademark references to food that Les loves so much were mixed in seasonal and non-seasonal songs("Christmas Gumbo", "Camellia Grill"). There were fun songs and touching ones as well, such as a fine cover of John Hartford's "On Christmas Eve", about spending Christmas on a boat on the Mississippi. Les and Caroline Stoker (daughter of bandmate Brent Stoker) did a sweet recitation of "Yes, There Is A Santa Claus".
There was great musicianship throughout the night, with a couple of special band member spotlights. Multi-talent Bryan Cumming celebrated getting a song that he co-wrote played on a soap opera earlier that day. Harmonica player Everett Brown amused folks with his spot-on song about writers nights. Brent Stoker soloed with an Elvis tune...his father Gordon's group the Jordanaires (who also appear on Les' "Christmas on the Coast" CD) are well known for being Elvis' long-time backup vocal group.
Another highlight was the reunion of the "Bayou Babes Chorale" on Robert Earl Keen's "Happy Holidays, Y'all" and the very fun "Meet Me With Your Black Drawers On".
Besides being a great entertainer, Les is one of the true nice guys in town. He is just what you see on stage...warm, genuine, appreciative and a great encourager of others. That's the sort of spirit we need all year long.
- Wendy V's Nashville Blend Blog
"Certain Memphis streets get respect from the locals for the part they played in housing waves of immigrants, historical markers of the development of the city. Summer Avenue with its current, just-look-around-you mix of ethnicity, is not one of these streets. Summer has had a song written about it, “Sounds from Summer Avenue,” by Everett Brown, but he’s singing about be-bop and the old drive-in, the Summer Avenue of the 1960s. No one seems to sing about today’s Summer."
complete article at http://www.storysouth.com/nonfiction/2007/02/summer_avenue.html - Story South - Winter 2007
Discography
Sold Out (1984) Summer Avenue (2000) Home Sweet Hometown (2003) Simply Memphis EP (2009)
Photos
Bio
Everett Brown hails from Memphis,TN where he absorbed a wide variety of musical styles while growing up. Memphis is known for being the Home of the Blues and the Birthplace of Rock'n'Roll. The youngest of 7 children, Everett's older brothers and sisters introduced him early on to the music of Chuck Berry and the legendary roster of Sun Records artists, King Elvis, Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison.
He formed his first band while in the 6th grade and was turned on by the Beatles and the British Invasion. Throughout high school he played guitar and harmonica in several garage bands. During the 70's he began writing songs and doing the "folksinger thang", fueled by the era of the singer/songwriters, Dylan, Jackson Browne and James Taylor.
Ev did session work as a bass player and made a living around Memphis working with various lounge acts. He sat in with Jerry Lee Lewis on a few occasions.
In 1984, he recorded his first album, a Gospel project called SOLD OUT joining forces with a handful of Memphis session musicians. The album was recorded at the famed Sam Phillips Recording Studio with Stan Kesler at the console.
The Blackwood Brothers Quartet recorded, "The Answer" from this project and made it the title cut of their 1985 LP release.
Everett spent the 80's writing and performing Christian music with the vocal group, Sound Doctrine. He made three overseas mission trips to Haiti, the Philippines and Brazil, again soaking up the musical landscape along the way.
In 1986, Ev migrated to Nashville- the place Don McLean once called "the last bastion for songwriters". There Everett continues to be active in the songwriting community.
In 2001, Everett released the CD, SUMMER AVENUE on his own label, Everb Records. This CD received rave reviews in the UK and enjoyed widespread radio airplay. The title track was used in a PBS TV documentary series, called "Beyond the Parkways", and in 2003 "Home Sweet Hometown" and "Merrymobile" were also used in later installments of the series.
The title cut of HSH was featured in an edition of Minnesota Public Radio's "All Songs Considered".
"HOME SWEET HOMETOWN": Clever, insightful lyrics make up this Americana collection of original songs ranging from folk, roots rock to bossa nova. HSH is a gifted songwriter's homage to Memphis, as well as your own Hometown.
Everett's latest release is a seven song EP including the "Memphis tunes" along with three new releases, "I Took Mama to the Opry," "Saturday" and "I Miss America" - a song written as a tribute to his friend, a military officer currently serving in Iraq. Service personnel and their families closely identify with the touching lyrics about sacrifices made for "the safety and security of those we love."
Everett is available for solo bookings. You can contact him at (615) 423-6220 or email at evereadyb@yahoo.com.
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