Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown (Born 18/04/1924, Died 10/09/2005)

Brown's early recordings for the Peacock label are available on a number of collections but "The Original Peacock Recordings" (re-released on Rounder Records) is as good an introduction as any (including such Brown favourites as 'Gate's Salty Blues', 'Dirty Work At The Crossroads' and 'Just Before Dawn'). He continued to record for Peacock until 1961, and many of these records are classics of Texas blues, incredibly influential at the time.

He continued to record throughout the 60s and 70s, with very little success, although albums made in Europe such as "Gate's On The Heat" were of an extremely high standard. In the 60s he also fronted the house band on a variety television show that broadcast from Nashville, as well as spending time playing in Colorado and New Mexico
The 80s were a happier time, recordings on the Rounder label receiving sympathetic arrangements and production. His undoubted vocal and instrumental skill once again received appropriate recognition through the release of such albums as the Grammy award winning "Alright Again" and the follow up and Grammy nominated "One More Mile". "Alright Again" in particular is testimony to the breadth and depth of Gatemouth's approach to the blues, with his great playing backed by big, brassy band. It's an album that sums up his approach to his music, often it seems frustrated by the limits of the blues genre and incorporating country, jazz and cajun into the mix. Indeed, his biographer notes that he never wanted to be called a bluesman, even though he played the blues better than just about anyone else on the planet!

He still recorded well into the 90s and beyond and the album "The Man", released in 1994 on Verve 523 761-2 is a fine example of his skills - straight blues, cajun, jazz, soul and innovative instrumentals (including a remarkable version of 'Unchained Melody') all proved he was still in fine fettle at the ripe old age of 71. "Long Way Home", is also worth hearing and is available on Verve 529465-2.
He deserves to be acknowledged for a lot more than simply being a support act for Eric Clapton at the latter's late 90s London concerts. "American Music Texas Style", released in 1999, is another big band, horn dominated set with Gatemouth's jazzy, distinctive guitar fills well to the fore. His instrumental virtuosity (guitar and fiddle) is as apparent as ever.

Gatemouth was a supremely gifted singer and instrumentalist, no matter what genre of music he chose to play. His final album, "Timeless" is a fitting testament to a criminally undervalued talent.
He was one of many whose home (in Slidell, Louisiana) was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina and although he evacuated successfully, many who knew him considered that it understandably weighed heavily on his mind and perhaps broke the spirit that had been fighting illness for so long.
Sadly, Gatemouth passed away on September 10, 2005 after a battle with lung cancer and heart disease.

""If I can make my guitar sound like my father's fiddle, then I know I've got it right" - "Gatemouth" Brown