Tony Brown – 2024 INDUCTEE
Born in Waterloo Tony Brown has been playing his unique brand of blues, roots, and reggae music for almost six decades. Growing up in a musical family he got his first guitar at age 5 and started learning Lightning Hopkins tunes soon after. He was blessed to hear all the Blues and R&B greats throughout his youth at the Waterloo Elks Club.
From those beginnings, there was little doubt he would live the life of musician. In the 1960s his integrated band introduced the idea of diversity in music and people to many Iowa communities. His journey has taken him around the world sharing the stage with the likes of Freddie King, Albert King, and Luther Allison. He also did extended tours opening for Taj Mahal and Bob Marley & the Wailers.
Now residing in Santa Fe New Mexico, Tony summed it all up nicely when he said, “The Blues is a medicine without no bottle, it doesn’t have dimensions, it doesn’t have a flavor, it doesn’t have a color, it is an assemblance of song and rhythm conveyed with words from life’s experiences.”
