Blind Pig Signs Nappy Brown
June 5, 2007
Blind Pig Records has announced the signing of veteran blues and R&B singer Nappy Brown. Recording sessions for a new CD were recently held in Kernersville, North Carolina, not too far from Brown's hometown of Charlotte.
Brown started as a gospel singer but crossed the secular line in the mid-50s to record a string of hits for Savoy Records, including his signature tune, "Don't Be Angry," and "The Right Time," a song later associated with Ray Charles.
Producer Scott Cable, best known for work with blues legend Carey Bell, has known Nappy since childhood. "I have wanted to make this record for 20 years. The time is right now for the public at large to hear and appreciate a singer of Nappy's caliber with the right backing."
Cable had no trouble recruiting artists for the session, many of them eagerly stepping up to pay tribute to Brown as one of the early legends of R&B. Included in the stellar backing lineup are guitarists Bob Margolin, Sean Costello, and Junior Watson, keyboardist Jim Pugh of the Robert Cray band, bassist Mookie Brill, who just won a Blues Music Award as best bassist and Brown's Blind Pig labelmate, singer/harmonica player John Nemeth. Said Cable, "The group of musicians picked for this project were specifically chosen because of their ability to capture the sound and feel of American music in it's heyday."
Brown was excited about going into the studio. Said Nappy, "It's my time now. This is the first time in 30 years I've had the chance to do my music with cats that understand it. It is going to be on."
Sean Costello added, "I am knocked out to have the chance to work with one of the great voices in American Music. I have always been a fan of Nappy's and can't wait to be a part of something special for and with him".
Once the recording sessions were wrapped up Nappy said, "This is the best record I have done since 1955," while producer Cable offered, "We have finally been able to produce the REAL Nappy Brown record that so many of us have known he had in him. He was inspired and so great."
The CD will also contain a bonus track, a rousing reprisal of "Aw, Shucks, Baby," a cut from a 2002 session in Arizona that found Nappy backed by Henry Gray on piano, Kid Ramos on guitar, Chico Chism on drums and Bob Corritore on harmonica.
Blind Pig plans to release the as-yet-untitled CD in the fall of 2007.
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