Jewel Brown is a jazz singer. She had a storied career in the 1950s and the 1960s. Before a retirement period she was part of Louis Armstrong's ensemble. She is currently part of the Heritage Hall Jazz Band.
Brown was born on August 30, 1937 in Houston, Texas. Her first professional performance was at the age of 12 in the Manhattan Club in Galveston, Texas. Before she graduated from high school Lionel Hampton offered the opportunity to tour professionally in Europe. She graduated from Jack Yates High School.[1]
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In 1957, on a vacation to Los Angeles, California, she sat in organist Earl Grant at the Club Pigalle. Grant hired her that night and she continued performing with him for a year. She went on to work for Dallas, Texas nightclub owner Jack Ruby.[1]
In the next decade she was offered singing positions with Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong. She chose Armstrong. She appeared with Armstrong in the films, “Louis Armstrong and All Stars” and "Solo."[1]
She retired in 1971 to care for ailing members of her family. She established a successful hair salon in Houston. In recent years she has revived her career, singing in the Heritage Hall Jazz Band.[1]