RESOLUTION CALLING FOR AN HONORARY STREET RENAMING TO MEMORIALIZE
OSCAR BROWN, JR.
WHEREAS, Oscar Brown Jr., a native of Chicago and the Hyde Park neighborhood, began his career as both an actor and singer at the age of 15, making his professional debut on the national radio series, "Secret City," and was the first to broadcast news about "America's largest minority" on his daily local radio program "Negro Newsfront" while still in his 20's; and
WHEREAS, he released his first album 'Sin and Soul' in 1960 on Columbia Records and upon its release secured an engagement at the Village Vanguard in New York City, becoming an overnight success and giant in the jazz world, revered as a lyricist, songwriter, composer, singer and entertainer; and
WHEREAS, culturally, Brown pioneered the "black is beautiful" attitude that would become prevalent in pop and jazz culture a half decade later; and
WHEREAS, musically, he was among the first to pen appropriate lyrics to the great jazz standards of the day, thereby bestowing hardbop anthems like "Work Song," and "Dat Dere" with verbal and social relevance; and
WHEREAS, he is most often described as a jazz singer, and initially achieved fame by putting lyrics to well-known jazz instrumentals, that description doesn't do justice to the breadth of his work, since as a performer, he acted his songs more than he sang them, and as a songwriter he drew as much from gospel, blues and folk music as he did from jazz; and
WHEREAS, Brown has also starred on television, being featured as host of the syndicated television series, "Jazz Scene U.S.A." and PBS series "From Jump Street" in addition to appearing on "Roc" and the ABC television series, "Brewster Place" with Oprah Winfrey; and
WHEREAS, he was awarded a Chicago Emmy Award for his television special "Oscar Brown's Back in Town"; and
WHEREAS, Brown persevered through a time when few African Americans were given the opportunity to showcase both their intellect and their artistic tale...
Click here for full text