Dusty Brown

Clement W. Triplett (March 11, 1929 – July 10, 2016) who was known professionally as Dusty Brown, was an American electric blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter. Over a long career, he variously worked with Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Sunnyland Slim, Hip Linkchain, Eddie Cusic, Little Son Joe, Howlin' Wolf, Bobby Rush, Henry Gray, Luther "Snake Boy" Johnson, Lonnie Johnson, Sonny Thompson and Buddy Guy.

Biography He was born on March 11, 1929, in Tralake, Mississippi, United States. Benson recorded Brown on harmonica, alongside Little Son Joe (vocals and guitar), Johnny Sturdivant (drums) and Henry Gray (piano). Further recording opportunities there were scuppered, when the label folded the following year. In 1958, the similarly small outfit, Bandera Records, allowed Brown to cut four sides; "Will You Forgive Me Baby", "Well, You Know", "Please Don't Go" and "Do You Love Me". The individuals on that recording were Brown, plus Hip Linkchain and his brother Jug, augmented by Bob Richey as drummer and Gray again on the piano. Again the unreleased tracks were made available on more recent compilations. All of the recorded songs were written and arranged by Brown. He continued with his day job but performed regularly on the basis of the recordings, working mainly around Chicago's West Side. Club appearances tailed off as the decade progressed, and Brown did not play very often during the 1960s. The same year, the opportunity came for Brown to perform overseas and he toured Europe with a band composed of Brown, Lonnie Johnson, Sonny Thompson and Bill Warren. On Brown's return his extended absence meant that he was out of work. He moved on to toil in a tractor factory in Joliet, Illinois, employed there up to his retirement in 1991. In 2005, Brown and a handful of other blues harp musicians including Little Addison, Oscar Coleman, Larry Cox, Russ Green, and Harmonica Khan, recorded an album entitled, Diamonds in the Rough, for Severn Records billed as the Chicago Blues Harmonica Project. Brown contributed two new recordings; "I Got To Go" and a reworking of his 1955 composition, "He Don't Love You".

Brown died on July 10, 2016, at the age of 87.

Partial discography Singles Year Title (A-side / B-side) Record label 1955 "Yes She's Gone" / "He Don't Love You" Parrot Records 1958 "Please Don't Go" / "Well, You Know" Bandera Records

Albums Year Title Record label Credited to 1972 Born in Georgia Black & Blue Luther "Snake Boy" Johnson 2005 Diamonds in the RoughSevern Chicago Blues Harmonica Project