Chuck

The Washington Nationals have the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth with the score tied with Ryan Zimmerman at the plate. 3-2 count. The pitch...home run!! The Nats win!!! As Zimmerman rounds the bases, the team's home run celebration song chimes in: Bustin Loose, sung by DC icon Chuck Brown.

Chuck Brown left us yesterday at the age of 75.

Since the 1960's Chuck Brown, the Godfather of Go-Go music, has loved his hometown of DC and we loved him right back. Here is the Wikipedia definition of Go-Go:"...a blend of funk, rhythm and blues, and early hip-hop, with a focus on lo-fi percussion instruments and funk-style jamming in place of dance tracks, although some sampling is used. As such, it is primarily a dance hall music with an emphasis on live audience call and response. Go-go rhythms are also incorporated into street percussion." I don't know about that definition, but for me, like Dick Clark used to say, it has a good beat and you can dance to it.

When I think of Chuck, I don't think of his classic big hit; I go back a little farther to my teenage days. I'm talkin bout the impromptu street parties where we would be hoopin late night around Giraud street in Northwest DC (76 - 79) and Chuck and his crew would just stop by, set up and just start partying until like 1 or 2 in the morning. People would litterly be in the streets go-go' in. I'm also talkin bout the classic old skool blue light in the basement house parties when you started paying attention to girls. Almost every Washintonian in every part of the city has a similar story. When the news ran his story last night, they shot it from the Lincoln theater when there (I want to say) were thousands of people in the streets showing respect.

Yep, Chuck was that large. I can only imagine the size of the funeral.

Now before you think that Go-Go is just a DC thing, let me pull your coat. In the mid-1990s, he performed the theme music of Fox's sitcom The Sinbad Show which later aired on The Family Channel and Disney Channel. He has been sampled by rappers such as Nelly (#1 hit Hot in Herre) and Eve. In 2009, the block of 7th Street in Northwest Washington, DC between Florida Avenue and T Street (not far from me)  was renamed "Chuck Brown Way" in his honor. On September 4, 2011, Brown was honored by the National Symphony Orchestra (what?) , as the NSO paid tribute to Legends of Washington Music Labor Day concert - honoring Brown's music, as well as Duke Ellington  and John Phillip Sousa - with a free concert on the West Lawn of the Capitol. Brown and his band capped off the evening with a performance. Here's just a taste:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=6Vwk_FYcTGU&NR=1

In 2005, he was named a National Heritage Fellow by the National Endowment for the Arts. He has also been nominated for a Grammy for the song "Love" , a song he did with Jill Scott and Marcus Miller from the album We Got This.

I have only scratched the surface of his contribution to both the music and DC landscape. While it's long overdue, it's time for Chuck to get into the music Hall of Fame.

In closing, I only have one more thing to say: "Wind me up Chuck." - R.I.P.