Danny Joe Brown

Danny Joe Brown
Born August 24, 1951
Jacksonville, Florida, USA
Died March 10, 2005 (aged 53)
Davie, Florida, USA
Genres Southern rock, hard rock
Occupation(s) Musician, songwriter
Instruments Vocals, harmonica, piano
Years active 1974–1998
Labels Epic
Associated acts Molly Hatchet, The Danny Joe Brown Band

Danny Joe Brown (August 24, 1951 – March 10, 2005)[1] was the original lead singer of the Southern rock group Molly Hatchet, and co-writer of the band's biggest hits from the late 1970s.

He was born in Jacksonville, Florida in 1951 and graduated from Terry Parker High School in 1969.[2] Shortly after graduating, he enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard and was stationed in New York for two years.[2] Once he left the Coast Guard, Brown's focus turned solely to music and he joined Molly Hatchet in 1974.

He is best known for writing and singing on such songs as "Flirtin' with Disaster" and "Whiskey Man." He was also the vocalist on "Dreams I'll Never See," a faster-tempoed cover of the Allman Brothers song. The band's sound was immediately recognizable by Brown's distinct voice: a deep, raspy, throaty growl.[2]

Brown left Molly Hatchet in 1980 because of chronic diabetes and pancreatic problems, but soon started his own band, The Danny Joe Brown Band, which released a single studio album in 1981.[3] He later rejoined Molly Hatchet in 1982, only to leave again in 1995 after suffering a stroke. He died at his mother's home in Davie, Florida in March, 2005, at the age of 53. His obituary attributed his death to renal failure, a complication of the diabetes he had since age 19.[1]

Discography

With Molly Hatchet

With The Danny Joe Brown Band

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Thedeadrockstarsclub.com - accessed May 2010
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Stephenson, Olivier (12 March 2005). "[Deathwatch] Danny Joe Brown, musician, 53". Slick.org. Retrieved 2011-04-24.
  3. ↑ Smith, Michael Buffalo (November 1999). "Still Beatin’ the Odds". Swampland.com. Retrieved 2011-04-24.

External links