Chuck Brown the Soul Searchers Here You Go Again Whatever You Do Live

Members of Chuck Dark-brown's family hold a rendering of a proposed amphitheater renovation for a park planned to behave the go-get maestro's proper noun. From left, son Nekos Dark-brown, daughter K.Grand. Brown, wife Jocelyn Brown and son Wiley stand together after the D.C. mayor declared Aug. 22 Chuck Brown Mean solar day. – Courtesy of Full Circle Entertainment

By Nia Hightower, DC Music Alive

In the Dark-brown family, when Aug. 22 rolled around, and then did numerous musical celebrations and cakes that lined the tabular array in award of its beloved patriarch – Chuck Brown.

"He'd have about v to 15 cakes sent to him to celebrate his birthday," says Nekos Brown, son of the late go-get legend.

There would be cakes in the shape of guitars, guitar cases, cakes decorated with his photograph or album covers. The son recalls one block shaped like the pair of signature shades his father used to wearable.

"It would exist like a cake contest to see who sent the best birthday cake," he says.

Yesterday marked the first altogether the family unit has spent without its beloved begetter and husband since his passing on May 16.  Chocolate-brown would have been 76.

Standing THE CELEBRATIONS

While the day served as a reminder that Dark-brown was no longer around, information technology also served as a reminder that his spirit and legacy lives on musically and in the hearts of the people's lives he touched.

"The solar day [was] … filled with a lot of love," Nekos Brown says.

That August morn, members of Chuck Chocolate-brown's family unit – wife Jocelyn Brown, sons Nekos and Wiley Chocolate-brown and girl One thousand.Thousand. Brown – stood adjacent to D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray equally he alleged it Chuck Brown Day. He likewise announced plans for the city to dedicate a portion of Langdon Park, located in Northeast D.C., as Chuck Chocolate-brown Memorial Park.

SEE RELATED STORY: From Chuck Brown Style to Chuck Chocolate-brown Mean solar day: D.C. Celebrates Get-Go Legend'south Altogether

"I retrieve the park is something really good for the urban center," says K.K. Brown, who performed alongside her male parent with the Chuck Dark-brown Band for about the last decade. "Something that's really colorful and musical for the kids and families, that's what my dad would take liked."

There are too plans to renovate the amphitheater in the park in hopes that it will further cultivate music in the nation's uppercase. One of the proposed amphitheater renderings as well shows a statue perched near the amphitheater.

"To i solar day see my begetter's statue in the park will exist an amazing thing considering where our family has come from," Nekos Brown says.

TURNING TO A LIFE MUSIC

The late musician grew up in North Carolina the son of a housekeeper with his siblings earlier they all moved to Washington when Chocolate-brown was 8. They lived in poverty, but Dark-brown took upwardly odd jobs to make ends see. His teen years became peppered with trivial crimes until an incident in the 1950s,  when he shot a man in what he said was self-defense.

Brown was convicted of aggravated assault, and then subsequently murder after the victim died in the hospital.

He served viii years at the Lorton Correctional Complex, where he traded cartons of cigarettes for another inmate's guitar.

The rest is history.

Once he was released from prison, Brown turned to a life of music, creating hits such as "Bustin' Loose," with the Soul Searchers, "Go-Go Swing," Grammy-nominated "Honey" with Jill Scott and a slew of albums that paved the way for the evolving genre of go-go.

The Brown family unit created the Chuck Brownish Foundation after his passing with a mission of contributing to causes the musician felt passionately about – education, homelessness and re-entry programs for those who have been incarcerated.

MISSING HIS PRESENCE

Chuck Brown, center, stands with his band members, including girl K.K. Brown, to his right. The band volition continue performing throughout the year at The Howard Theatre's Wind Me Up Chuck! Mondays. – Photo past James Hilsdon

Both Grand.Chiliad. and Nekos Brownish say they miss their father's presence in different ways.

"He'd come in just about whatever room, and you'd know information technology," says Nekos Brownish. "Y'all couldn't be pitiful around him. He lived with the philosophy that as long as you were breathing, y'all were all right."

For K.K. Brown, being on stage with the band isn't the aforementioned.

"I used to look over to him for my answers to everything, literally," she says. "I miss trying to impress him."

She and the ring have connected to perform together at numerous summer events that were originally booked for her father, including the DC Jazz Festival show at The Hamilton and the Summer Spirit Music Festival at the Merriwether Post Pavillion.

The Chuck Brown Band will continue performances for the rest of the year as a part of The Howard Theatre'south Wind Me Upwards Chuck! Mondays, which will feature the band and various artists influenced by the go-get primary.

"It's really plumbing fixtures because every time he'd tell a story it would have The Howard in it," his daughter says.

When she'southward not performing in the band, she's in and out of the studio working on her solo rap project with a alloy of stone hip-hop and, of course, go-become.

"I just desire to make sure I do everything he taught me."

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Source: https://dcmusiclive.wordpress.com/2012/08/23/go-go-legends-son-and-daughter-reflect-on-fathers-legacy/

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