Blue Ballads with Charles Brown.

A live concert with songwriter and pianist Charles Brown. Charles Brown is one of the most original artists in blues history. He's credited with creating an expressive style of blues that blended rough Texas blues with the soft glamour of Hollywood. This approach was dubbed "Club Blues." Between 1946 and 1952, Brown recorded 20 hits, nine on his own, the rest as part of Johnny Moore's Blazers. These include "Driftin' Blues," "Black Night," "Merry Christmas, Baby" and "I Want to Go Home," which Sam Cooke later reworked with "Bring It On Home To Me." Musicians who have been influenced by Brown, or paid homage to him, include Ray Charles, Otis Redding, James Brown, Sam Cooke, Billy Eckstein and Bruce Springsteen. Brown's featured role in the PBS documentary on the history of rhythm and blues have brought him back into the public eye. (Rebroadcast. Original date 6/22/89).