Ruth Alston Brown (née Weston; January 12, 1928 – November 17, 2006) was an American singer-songwriter and actress who was frequently referred to as the “Queen of R&B.” She is remembered for fusing R&B music with pop music in the 1950s with songs like “So Long,” “Teardrops from My Eyes,” and “(Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean.”
Because of these efforts, Atlantic earned the nickname “the home that Ruth built” (alluding to the popular nickname for the old Yankee Stadium). 1993 saw Brown’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Was Ruth Brown married?
Brown married three times and maintained a number of relationships throughout her life. She gave birth to two sons: Earl Swanson, with saxophonist Earl Swanson, and Ronnie McPhatter, with Clyde McPhatter. Ronnie McPhatter was given the last name Jackson at birth.
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Brown won a Tony Award for her work in the Broadway production of Black and Blue, and the original cast album took home a Grammy. In 2016, Brown received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Brown was admitted to the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in 2017. She is also the famed hip-hop artist Rakim’s aunt.
