Samantha Brown (born 7 October 1964) is an English singer, songwriter and musician. Brown is a blue-eyed soul and

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

singer, and

ukulele The ukulele ( ; ); also called a uke (informally), is a member of the lute (ancient guitar) family of instruments. The ukulele is of Portuguese origin and was popularized in Hawaii. The tone and volume of the instrument vary with size and con ...

and

piano A piano is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when its keys are depressed, activating an Action (music), action mechanism where hammers strike String (music), strings. Modern pianos have a row of 88 black and white keys, tuned to a c ...

player. She came to prominence in the late 1980s as a solo artist and released eight singles that entered the UK Singles Chart during the 1980s and 1990s. Her solo singles, sometimes dealing with lost love, include " Stop!", " This Feeling", "

Can I Get a Witness "Can I Get a Witness" is a song composed by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland and produced by Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier as a non-album single for American recording vocalist Marvin Gaye, who issued the record on Motown's T ...

", "

Kissing Gate A kissing gate is a gate that allows people, but not livestock, to pass through. The normal construction is a half-round, rectangular, trapezoidal or V-shaped part-enclosure with the free end of a hinged gate trapped between its arms. When th ...

", " With a Little Love" and "Just Good Friends". She worked as a session backing vocalist, working with artists such as

Gary Moore Robert William Gary Moore (4 April 19526 February 2011) was a Northern Irish musician. Over the course of his career, he played in various groups and performed a range of music including blues, blues rock, hard rock, Heavy metal music, heavy ...

George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician, singer and songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Culture ...

Small Faces Small Faces were an English Rock music, rock band from London, founded in 1965. The group originally consisted of Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane, Kenney Jones and Jimmy Winston, with Ian McLagan replacing Winston as the band's keyboardist in 1966 ...

Spandau Ballet Spandau Ballet ( ) were an English new wave band formed in Islington, London, in 1979. Inspired by the capital's post-punk underground dance scene, they emerged at the start of the 1980s as the house band for the Blitz Kids (New Romantics), ...

, Adam Ant, Jon Lord (of

Deep Purple Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal music, heavy metal and modern hard rock, although their musical style has varied throughout their career. Originally for ...

Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experiments ...

David Gilmour David Jon Gilmour ( ; born 6 March 1946) is an English guitarist, singer and songwriter who is a member of the rock band Pink Floyd. He joined in 1967, shortly before the departure of the founder member Syd Barrett. By the early 1980s, Pink F ...

, The Firm, Dodgy and

Nick Cave Nicholas Edward Cave (born 22 September 1957) is an Australian musician, writer, and actor who fronts the rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Known for his baritone voice, Cave's music is characterised by emotional intensity, a wide variety ...

. Brown released her debut album '' Stop!'' in 1988 and in total has released seven

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...

s, one

live album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track or cassette), or digital. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th centur ...

, one EP, and three

compilation album A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one Performing arts#Performers, performer or by several performers. If the recordings are from ...

s, as well as three albums as part of the group Homespun. She developed serious problems with her singing voice in 2007 after which she stopped recording and singing live until 2023 when she released the album ''Number 8''.

Early years

Samantha Brown was born on 7 October 1964, in Stratford, east London, England. She is the daughter of musician Joe Brown and session singer Vicki Brown. Brown's first work in the music industry was in 1978 aged 14, when she sang backing vocals on the final studio album by the

, '' 78 in the Shade''. She also worked as a backing vocalist with several other bands, including

, and with her mother on former

keyboardist Jon Lord's third solo album '' Before I Forget''.

Career

Brown signed a recording contract with A&M in 1986. Her most successful song with A&M was " Stop!", released as a single in 1988. She issued an album of the same name that same year. Other singles taken from the album included " Walking Back to Me", " This Feeling" and her

cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...

of "

". The album ''Stop!'' has sold over two-and-a-half million copies worldwide, doing particularly well in the UK and Australia. Brown's second studio album, '' April Moon'' (1990), included two hit singles, "

" and " With a Little Love". Three further singles were released from the album: " Mindworks", "Once in Your Life" and "As One". Brown's third studio album, '' 43 Minutes...'', was made around the same time that her mother was dying from breast cancer. A&M, Brown's record label at the time, were not satisfied with the album and wanted some potential hit singles recorded and added to the track listing. Brown, unwilling to compromise and after a protracted legal battle, bought back the master recordings of the album and released them in 1992 on her own label Pod Music, a year after the death of her mother. Few copies were initially released, but it was reissued in 2004. Brown provided backing vocals for

on their 14th studio album, '' The Division Bell'', released in 1994, and accompanied them on their tour to promote the release. Her involvement was documented on the following year's Pink Floyd release, ''

Pulse In medicine, the pulse refers to the rhythmic pulsations (expansion and contraction) of an artery in response to the cardiac cycle (heartbeat). The pulse may be felt ( palpated) in any place that allows an artery to be compressed near the surfac ...

'', in which she sang backing vocals and was the first lead vocalist on the song " The Great Gig in the Sky". In 1995, she had a minor chart hit with a

duet A duet (italian language, Italian: ''duo'') is a musical composition for two Performing arts, performers in which the performers have equal importance to the piece, often a composition involving two singers or two pianists. It differs from a har ...

with fellow singer-songwriter

Fish A fish (: fish or fishes) is an aquatic animal, aquatic, Anamniotes, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with swimming fish fin, fins and craniate, a hard skull, but lacking limb (anatomy), limbs with digit (anatomy), digits. Fish can ...

, entitled "Just Good Friends". In 1997, Brown returned with her fourth studio album ''

Box A box (plural: boxes) is a container with rigid sides used for the storage or transportation of its contents. Most boxes have flat, parallel, rectangular sides (typically rectangular prisms). Boxes can be very small (like a matchbox) or v ...

'', released via the independent record label Demon Music Group. Tracks on this album included "Embrace the Darkness", "Whisper" and "I Forgive You" which was co-written with Maria McKee. McKee's version of the song originally appeared on her second album, '' You Gotta Sin to Get Saved''. In 2000, her fifth studio album, ''

ReBoot In computing, rebooting is the process by which a running computer system is restarted, either intentionally or unintentionally. Reboots can be either a cold reboot (alternatively known as a hard reboot) in which the power to the system is physi ...

'', was released via another independent label, Mud Hut, as was the single "In Light of All That's Gone Before." In 2003, Brown formed the band Homespun with Dave Rotheray. The group has released three albums. Brown also released several solo recordings in this period, including an EP, ''Ukulele and Voice''. In 2004, Jon Lord released '' Beyond the Notes'', for which she wrote almost all the lyrics. In late 2006, she undertook an extensive UK tour as special guest of her father, Joe Brown. The shows also included appearances by her brother, Pete Brown. In 2007, seven years after her last album, Brown released ''Of the Moment''. She also returned to the Top 10 of the

UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is the United Kingdom's industry-recognised national record chart for album, albums. Entries are ranked by sales and audio streaming. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the O ...

in October 2007, when "Valentine Moon" was included on

Jools Holland Julian Miles Holland (born 24 January 1958) is an English pianist, bandleader, singer, composer and television presenter. He was an original member of the band Squeeze and has worked with many artists including Marc Almond, Jayne County, To ...

's hit album ''Best of Friends''. That same year she developed problems with her singing voice, and for unknown reasons has not been able to sing consistently since. In an interview in 2013 she explained that "I can't get vocal cord closure and achieve the proper pitch simultaneously. It feels like there are some muscles that aren't working." After a cyst was found on her vocal cords, she had the cyst successfully removed, but problems with her voice persisted, leaving her unable to hold a note. Seeking alternative musical occupation, Brown started a ukulele club in 2010 and expanded to several clubs in

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire ( ; abbreviated ''Oxon'') is a ceremonial county in South East England. The county is bordered by Northamptonshire and Warwickshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, and Wiltshire and Glouceste ...

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London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

and online which have continued to thrive. In 2021 she released her only live album, ''Wednesday The Something of April'', a recording of a one-woman show from 2004 featuring songs from across her career. Brown's first studio album in fifteen years, ''Number 8'', was released in January 2023. It was written and recorded with long-time collaborator Danny Schogger and makes use of Melodyne software to help Brown's vocals.

Backing and guest vocalist

As well as her solo career, Brown has had a successful career as a backing vocalist and collaborator with other artists. She has worked with the band

Barclay James Harvest Barclay James Harvest are an English progressive rock band, which following a split in 1998 now exists as two successor bands. They were founded in Oldham, in September 1966 by bassist/vocalist Les Holroyd (born 1948), guitarist/vocalist John ...

(1984),

('' David Gilmour in Concert'') and

('' In Concert with The London Symphony Orchestra''), Jon Lord, The Firm,

and

. She has often appeared as a member of Jools Holland's Rhythm and Blues Orchestra and achieved further prominence with her 2002 performance at the

Concert for George The Concert for George was held at the Royal Albert Hall in London on 29 November 2002 as a Tributes to the Beatles, memorial to George Harrison on the first anniversary of his death. The event was organised by Harrison's widow, Olivia Harrison ...

, which was a memorial to George Harrison on the first anniversary of his death, where she sang " Horse to the Water". This song is included in the film of the concert and in the 2018 digital

album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...

release, but not on the original 2003 album. In 2002, she was a backing vocalist at

Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a royal official residence, residence in London, and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and r ...

at the

Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II The Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II was the international celebration held in 2002 marking the 50th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952. It was intended by the Queen to be both a commemoration of her 50 years as ...

's concert, Party at the Palace. In 2015, Brown started teaching backing vocals classes at the Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM) in

Guildford Guildford () is a town in west Surrey, England, around south-west of central London. As of the 2011 census, the town has a population of about 77,000 and is the seat of the wider Borough of Guildford, which had around inhabitants in . The nam ...

, Surrey, a school for rock and pop musicians.

Personal life

Brown has two children, born 1993 and 1995, with her ex-husband, producer and musician Robin Evans. On 16 June 1991, Brown's mother Vicki Brown died aged 50 from

breast cancer Breast cancer is a cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a Breast lump, lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, Milk-rejection sign, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipp ...

Album titles

Taken in order of release, the initial letters of the titles of Brown's seven solo studio albums and one live album spell out her name: * ''Stop!'' * ''April Moon'' * ''(43) Minutes...'' * ''Box'' * ''ReBoot'' * ''Of the Moment'' * ''Wednesday the Something of April'' * ''Number 8'' Brown said that she was unaware of the pattern until it was pointed out after the release of ''ReBoot'' in 2000. Once it was brought to her attention she vowed to continue the trend, asking fans to submit suggestions for the next title beginning with 'O'. ''Of the Moment'' was released in September 2007: its title was suggested by a fan via Brown's website.

Discography

Studio albums * '' Stop!'' (1988) * '' April Moon'' (1990) * '' 43 Minutes...'' (1993) * ''

'' (1997) * ''

'' (2000) * ''Of the Moment'' (2007) * ''Number 8'' (2023) Live albums * ''Wednesday the Something of April'' (2021)

References

External links

Miss Sam Brown – Official websiteOne Candle – Sam Brown fan club
* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, Sam 1964 births Living people A&M Records artists British ukulele players British women jazz singers British women record producers English jazz singers English record producers English session musicians English singer-songwriters English soul singers English women singer-songwriters Jools Holland's Rhythm and Blues Orchestra members Musicians from the London Borough of Newham People from Stratford, London Singers from the London Borough of Newham 20th-century English singers 21st-century English singers 20th-century English women singers 21st-century English women singers