The Browns

History

Maxine and Jim Ed Brown began singing as a duo in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and signed a record contract in 1954. Their self-written song "Looking Back to See" reached the top 10 and earned them a guest spot on Ernest Tubb's radio show; the song later became a hit again for Buck Owens and Susan Raye in 1972. In 1955, 18-year-old Bonnie Brown, who had just graduated high school, joined the group. They started performing on Louisiana Hayride in Shreveport, Louisiana, and by the end of that year were appearing on KWTO in Springfield, Missouri.

Another top-10 hit, "Here Today and Gone Tomorrow," was boosted by their appearances on ABC-TV's Ozark Jubilee, which Maxine Brown called "our real breakthrough." Jim Ed and Maxine had first appeared on that show as a duo in 1955. Producer Si Siman signed the trio with RCA Victor in 1956, leading to two major hits: "I Take the Chance" (a cover of a Louvin Brothers composition) and "I Heard the Bluebirds Sing." When Jim Ed was drafted in 1957, the group continued recording while he was on leave; sister Norma filled in for him on tours, as did Billy Walker.

In 1959, "The Three Bells" became their biggest hit, reaching number one on both the Billboard Hot 100 pop and country charts and peaking at number 10 on the Rhythm and Blues listing. The song was based on "Les trois cloches," originally a hit in France for Édith Piaf, and told the story of a character named Jimmy Brown—a coincidence rather than a reference to Jim Ed Brown. It sold over one million copies and earned Grammy nominations for Record of the Year and Best Group or Vocal Performance.

In 1960, their version of "Blue Christmas" reached number 97 on the Billboard Hot 100 December singles chart. The Browns appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show and American Bandstand, and followed up with "Scarlet Ribbons (For Her Hair)" and "The Old Lamplighter," which performed well on both pop and country charts. With an international following, they toured Europe extensively and saw further moderate success on country charts. In 1963, they joined the Grand Ole Opry.