Genres Vaudeville | Origin Lindsay, Canada | |
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Years active 1913 (1913)–1933 (1933) Past members William Brown
Tom Brown
Alec Brown
Percy Brown
Fred Brown
Vern Brown Similar Rudy Wiedoeft, Wilbur Sweatman, Sigurd Raschèr, Shelton Brooks, Adrian Rollini | ||
Six brown brothers at the darktown strutters ball 1917
The Six Brown Brothers were a Canadian vaudeville era saxophone sextet consisting of six brothers.
Contents
Six brown brothers walkin the dog 1916
History
The brothers comprising the Six Brown Brothers were, William, Tom (1881–1950), Alec, Percy, Fred, and Vern Brown. The Brown Brothers lived in Lindsay, Ontario until 1893. The first instrumentation consisted of a saxophone quintet (bass, baritone, tenor, and 2 alto saxes. A soprano sax was never used with the group, except as a feature for Tom Brown). The group began working at circuses, and later worked in minstrel and vaudeville shows, and then on Broadway. In 1913, they added a second baritone sax. Success in 1912-14 lead to touring to Scotland and elsewhere in Europe. Additional non-family members also played with the group.
After they broke up in 1933 only the leader, Tom Brown, continued as a musician but with limited success.