Family Brown

Family Brown

Company type	Musical group
Industry	Music
Founded	1967
Founder	Joe Brown, Barry Brown, Lawanda Brown, Tracey Brown, Dave Dennison, Ron Sparling
Defunct	1990
Headquarters	Ottawa , Canada
Products	Country music albums and singles

Family Brown was a Canadian country music ensemble established in 1967 by Joe Brown (vocals, bass guitar), his son Barry Brown (vocals, guitar), daughters Lawanda and Tracey (vocals), alongside Dave Dennison (guitar) and Ron Sparling (drums, manager). From 1967 until 1990, the group achieved numerous charting singles across Canada and the United States, securing eighteen Canadian Country Music Association awards—the highest count for any artist. After disbanding in 1990, Barry, Tracey, and Randall Prescott launched Prescott-Brown in 1991.

History

The formation of Family Brown was led by Joe "Papa" Brown (born 1925 in Amherst, Nova Scotia), an experienced musician who took on lead vocals and bass guitar duties. Barry Brown served as vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist; Lawanda and Tracey contributed background vocals. The band also featured lead guitarist Dave Dennison and drummer/manager Ron Sparling.

Initially performing at local venues, the band expanded to touring across Canada by 1970. They signed with MCA Records in 1971 and issued the single "R. R. No. 2" from their debut album bearing the band’s name. By 1972, they were headlining the national television program Call It Country (which was later renamed Country Way and then Family Brown Country), filmed at CJOH-TV in Ottawa, Ontario.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Family Brown produced nine studio albums plus two greatest hits compilations under RCA Records, with forty-three singles reaching the RPM Country Tracks charts. Several of their songs also charted on U.S. country listings, including the No. 30 hit "But It's Cheating." The group earned three Juno Awards—including the 1985 Country Group of the Year—seventeen RPM Big Country Awards, and eighteen Canadian Country Music Association awards. In 1979, steel guitarist and fiddler Gary (Spike) Spicer joined the lineup.

After Joe Brown passed away in 1986, Tracey's husband Randall Prescott became involved as record producer for their last two albums released through RCA. Family Brown's final concert took place in September 1990. The band was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 1997. Following this period, Tracey collaborated with Terry Carisse on a duet in 1990 before forming Prescott Brown & Lonesome Daddy (later known as Prescott-Brown) alongside Randall Prescott and Barry Brown. This trio charted nine singles during the early 1990s and secured another Juno Award; Tracey also pursued solo single releases.

List of awards

Family Brown earned a wide array of industry recognitions such as:

• From 1976 to 1981: six consecutive years winning the RPM Big Country Award for Top Group
• In 1979: RPM Big Country Awards for Single of the Year ("Stay with Me") and Album of the Year (Familiar Faces, Familiar Places)
• Between 1982 and 1990: multiple Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) distinctions including Group of the Year, Single of the Year, Song of the Year, Album of the Year, and Entertainer of the Year
• In 1985: Juno Award for Country Group of the Year
• Numerous RPM Big Country Awards recognizing Top Group and Album of the Year throughout the 1980s