Roy Lee Brown

b. 27 February 1921, Fort Worth, Texas, USA. The younger brother of Milton and Derwood Brown, he learned banjo and when permitted by school requirements toured around with his elder brothers, usually working behind the scenes, including regularly restringing Derwood’s guitar. In 1946, after naval service, he played with Derwood, both on KDNT and at clubs. When Derwood left, Roy Lee fronted the band until he returned to Fort Worth. He gained a full-time job with the Fire Department but also formed a new band that worked several local venues, had a daily show on KCNC and recorded four songs as Roy Lee Brown And His Musical Brownies. The various jobs began to clash, and in the early 50s he gave up the band and worked for the Fire Department until he retired in 1982. Subsequently, he decided to start playing Milton’s western swing music again and in 1989, with a new edition of the Musical Brownies, he recorded for the Priority label. In 1991 he made further recordings fronting a band that included Leon Rausch, one of Bob Wills’ old Texas Playboys.