Buster Brown

James "Buster" Brown (1913–2002) was an American tap dancer active from the 1930's to 2000. Brown started his career in African-American dance circuits while still in high school and went on to perform internationally, accompanying acts like Duke Ellington and dancing with Savion Glover. Having appeared in numerous films and documentaries, including Francis Ford Coppola's The Cotton Club, he has been described as an inventor of the tap dance art form and one of the most prominent figures in the world of tap dance.

1913-1930s: Early life

Brown was born James Richard Brown in 1913 in Baltimore, Maryland. He was the only boy, with seven sisters. His father William Brown, an oyster shucker, died when he was six years old, leaving his mother to raise the children. Brown acquired the nickname "Buster" as a child. The children all took jobs after school to support the family. "I started to dance when I started to walk," he said later. In 1939, they played the Apollo Theater and Small's Paradise with Earl Bostic's band. When he wasn't working, Brown frequented the Hoofer's Club. The Speed Kings 2 continued performing through World War II, and participated in the Cole Porter musical film, "Something to Shout About." (1943). The group disbanded in 1942.

In 2002, Oklahoma City University awarded him an honorary Doctorate of Performing Arts. He has been cited as 'one of the most prominent figures in the world of tap dance'and 'an inventor of the art form' as well as an influence on later entertainers like Sammy Davis Jr., and Gregory Hines.