Born on This Day in 1934, the Smooth Country Singer Who Helped Bring the Genre to a Wide Audience and Influenced the Beatles and Countless Country Groups

On this day (April 1) in 1934, Jim Ed Brown was born in Sparkman, Arkansas. He rose to fame in the early 1950s in a family trio with his sisters. Together, the Browns helped bring country music to a wider audience. Later, during his solo career, he had several hits with songs like “Pop a Top,” “Southern Living,” and “It’s That Time of Night.”

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Brown started singing with his older sister, Maxine, when he was young. When he was in his late teens, Maxine entered him into a talent contest in Little Rock, Arkansas. He didn’t win, but his performance earned him a regular slot on a local radio show. Soon, his older sister began joining him on the air.

[RELATED: Born on This Day in 1941, the Country Singer-Songwriter and Actress Who Scored a Series of Top 10 Duets With Jim Ed Brown]

According to the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Brown siblings were singing on the Louisiana Hayride two years later, in 1954. That year, they recorded “Looking Back to See,” which became a top 10 hit. As a result, they were able to move from the Hayride to the Springfield, Missouri-based Ozark Jubilee. They joined when it was still a radio show and were still on the show when it transitioned to TV in 1955.

Jim Ed, Maxine, and Bonnie Form the Browns

Jim Ed and Maxine Brown’s younger sister, Bonnie, joined them in 1955. They named the trio the Browns and started recording hit songs. “Here Today and Gone Tomorrow” was a top 10 hit for the siblings. Then, they landed bigger hits with “I Take the Chance” and “I Heard the Bluebirds Sing.”

While their songs were performing well on the charts, things weren’t great for the trio. Hard work, near-constant travel, and low pay had almost convinced them to walk away from their budding career when their cover of “The Three Bells” became a massive hit. It topped the country and pop charts. Then, “Scarlet Ribbons (for Her Hair)” and “The Old Lamplighter” brought them further crossover success.

Soon, the Browns were everywhere. They embarked on international tours, appeared on network TV shows, and became members of the Grand Ole Opry. Their crossover popularity led to increased record sales and visibility for country music as a whole.

The Browns weren’t just a popular sibling trio, though. They were highly influential. Countless groups have taken drew inspirations from their tight harmonies over the years. Everyone from the Beatles to Little Big Town has taken a page or two from the Browns’ playbook.

Jim Ed Goes Solo

In the late 1960s, Maxine and Bonnie Brown chose to give up their careers to return to Arkansas to be close to their growing families. Jim Ed Brown, on the other hand, chose to continue his career as a solo artist.

He had already released a handful of singles that became top 40 country hits before the trio disbanded. Then, in 1967, after the Browns were officially done, he released “Pop a Top,” which became his first top 10 hit and signature song. He followed that with a string of moderate hits on the country chart. “Morning” and “Southern Living” broke into the top 10.

Brown saw more success when he started recording duets with Helen Cornelius in the 1970s. They released their first duet, “I Don’t Want to Have to Marry You,” in 1976. It topped the country chart. They notched four more top 10 hits over the next five years.

The Browns were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2015. His sisters attended the medallion ceremony in the fall. However, Jim Ed Brown was battling cancer. As a result, Hall of Fame member Bill Anderson headed a small group to visit Brown in the hospital, where they presented him with his medallion. He died a week later, leaving behind an immortal legacy and a wealth of great country music.

Featured Image by David Redfern/Redferns