Clarence “GateMouth” Brown Memorial Highway: The Story from Birth to Blues

Clarence “ Gatemouth” Brown was a jazz and blues artist from southern Louisiana of a prodigal nature trained in multiple instruments by the age of 5 who went on to revolutionize the craft with his soul filled riffs. The Grammy winning artist born in Vinton, Louisiana raised in Orange, Texas taught solely by his father went on to perform live on stage by 10 years of age. His life was one filled with show business and a wild combination of Texas blues and cajun jazz due to his upbringing. Beginning his professional journey in the music industry at the age of 21 set out to make his mark on the world and alter genres forever. As a multi-instrumentalist, he showcased his skills on a number of instruments including guitar, fiddle, keyboard, drums , mandolin, viola, and harmonica. Before he could get to stardom and fame he first had to serve his country in World War Two of which he was honorably discharged from service.      When famed guitarist T-Bone Walker took sick and dropped his guitar onto the stage in the middle of a number. Gate leaped to the stage, picked up Walker's axe and laid into one of his own tunes, "Gatemouth Boogie." This being the perfect chance he needed for the owners to take note and started to give him opportunities to succeed starting with shows at the club eventually the owner of the club, Don Robey joined Brown in his path becoming his manager. Signing with the record label Aladdin early on though leaving this label for one of Robey’s creations due to concerns with the previous label. This move was a good one when it comes to immediate success, Brown went on to come out with numerous charting singles, his first and best being “Mary is Fine” peaking at 8 on the charts. Only ever releasing singles with the label as it began to grow past Brown alone.This initial fame he garnered was not lasting and soon his time producing music would be put on pause for more steady work on the show The!!! Beat in the 60s In the 70s brown did something no one saw coming, he toured Europe and did it well with the growing blues market in the continent; it led to him having 11 European tours and 9 European Albums. After his European tours he moved to New Orleans signing with a new record company out of Bogalusa, Real Records INC. Releasing his very first US album at the age of 54 entitled, BlackJack. During the 1980s alone he released 3 original studio albums in the US in order of Alright Again, One More Mile, and Real Life. He went on to release Brown and lived a long and successful life performing for his final time at the New Orleans Jazz Festival in 2005. A celebrated artist and father of 4 who left behind DeWayne, Ursula, Celeste and Renée as he passed away in September of 05.