ROOTS of Country Music

The Professional Work of Jim Ed Brown

(born Apr. 1, 1934)

Career Highlights

Barn Dance Affiliate:

• Louisiana Hayride
• Ozark Jubilee

Grand Ole Opry Member 1963

Film, Night Club, Radio & TV

• Austin City Limits, 4
• Ed Sullivan Show, 4
• Ernest Tubb’s  Midnight Jamboree, 3
• Gilley’s Club, 2
• Going Our Way, 4
• Hee Haw, 4
• Nashville Now, 4
• Nashville On the Road, 4
• Pop Goes the Country, 4
• The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, 4
• The Johnny cash Show, 4
• The Porter Wagoner Show, 4
• The Wilburn Brothers Show, 4 
• You Can Be a Star, 4

1-Film, 2-Night Club, 3-Radio, 4-TV 

Billboard Chart Data 

• No. 1 Singles: 1
• Top-20 Singles: 23
• Crossover Singles: 0
• Charted Singles: 51
• Years Active: 19651981

Awards

Country Music Association

• Vocal Duo of the Year 1977

(With Helen Cornelius)

Career Label: RCA Records (1965-1981)

Billboard Top-20 Singles 

1. You Can Have Her -1967
2. Pop a Top
3. Bottle, Bottle
4. The Cajun Stripper -1968
5. The Enemy
6. Man and Wife Time -1969
7. Angel's Sunday -1970
8. Southern Loving -1973
9. Broad-Minded Man
10. Sometime Sunshine -1974
11. It's That Time of Night
12. Another Morning -1976
13. I Don't Want to Have to Marry You*#1
14. Saying Hello, Saying I Love You...#
15. Born Believer# -1977
16. If It Ain't Love by Now#
17. I'll Never Be Free# -1978
18. If the World Ran Out of Love Tonight#
19. You Don't Bring Me Flowers#
20. Lying in Love with You# -1979
21. Fools#
22. Morning Comes Too Early# -1980
23. Don't Bother to Knock# -1981

*-No. 1 Chart Single

1-Biggest Chart Single

#-With Helen Cornelius

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Jim Ed Brown was born in Sparkman, Arkansas and was one of five children (two boys and three girls).  Some of his earliest memories are of close family times, when all of the members of the household would gather on Saturday nights to listen to the Grand Ole Opry on a battery powered radio.  Jim Ed Brown and his older sister, Maxine, were fascinated by what they heard and soon began harmonizing together.  A few years later, Jim Ed and Maxine began to perform occasionally on the local radio shows. 

By Jim Ed Brown's second year in college, he and Maxine were regular members of the Barnyard Frolic on KRLA in Little Rockand together, they penned their first hit record, “Looking Back to See.” Released on a small label in 1954, the song provided the necessary momentum to bring the pair to national attention.  They became members of the Louisiana Hayride, and went on to join Red Foley as featured regulars on the Ozark Jubilee in 1955. 

Later that year, younger sister Bonnie joined them as The Browns and they released a top-10 hit titled Here Today and Gone Tomorrow.  The group signed with RCA Victor in 1956, and charted two number one songs titled I Take the Chance and I Heard the Bluebird Sing.

After a stint in the US Army, he rejoined his sisters and released “The Three Bells” in 1959, which was a million-seller and became their signature song.  Other hits included “The Old Lamplighter” and “Scarlet Ribbons.” In 1962, the trio joined the Grand Ole Opry. 

By the mid 1960's both Bonnie and Maxine to retired from the group. Jim Ed Brown was left to carry on alone, and in 1966, he scored his first solo success with, “Pop-A-Top Again.”  Through the 60's and 70's, he continued to grow as a star in his own right with more hit singles including, Southern Loving, Sometime Sunshine, and Morning. 

In 1976, he teamed up with Helen Cornelius to form one of the most successful recording duos of all time.  With smash releases like, Don't Bother to Knock, Saying Hello, Saying I Love You, Saying Goodbye Lying in Love With You. 

In 1983, Jim Ed Brown was on The Nashville Network with a program titled You Can Be A Star and he co-hosted a show with his wife, Becky titled Going Our Way. 

As a recording artist and a popular television host, in the course of his career, Jim Ed Brown enjoyed respectable chart success for most of his recording career.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Researched, written and compiled by Richard Bell. Roots of Country Music. Oct., 15, 2011.