Eddie Brown (musician)

Edward James "Bongo" Brown (September 13, 1932 – December 28, 1984) was an American percussionist known for his work with The Funk Brothers, Detroit-based session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown recordings from 1959 to 1972.

Biography
Brown was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi on September 13, 1932. He was raised in Memphis, Tennessee. He later moved to Detroit and in 1962 he joined The Funk Brothers, Motown Records' in-house session musicians. According to Jack Ashford, Brown started out as a valet for Marvin Gaye and played bongos once Gaye began performing on-stage. Brown played congas, bongos, the gourd and claves. Brown became Motown's leading percussionist and for a decade was on almost every key release from the label. He was known for his sense of humor and for being the "studio clown". Despite being an excellent musician, he could not read music and when handed sheet music by the producers, he would replace it with an adult magazine. When Motown moved to Los Angeles in 1972, Brown came along. His credits there included Gaye's 1973 album Let's Get It On and Stevie Wonder's 1976 album Songs in the Key of Life. He later toured with both Gaye and Liza Minnelli. One of his musical influences was Chano Pozo.

Motown recordings on which Brown played include "(I Know) I'm Losing You" by The Temptations, "I Second That Emotion" by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, "What's Going On" by Marvin Gaye, and "If I Were Your Woman" by Gladys Knight & the Pips.

Brown died from heart disease in Los Angeles, California, on December 28, 1984. He was 52.

As sideman
With The Brothers Johnson With Peabo Bryson and Natalie Cole With G. C. Cameron With Clarence Carter With Randy Crawford With Commodores With Priscilla Coolidge With The 5th Dimension With Yvonne Fair With Brass Fever With Marvin Gaye With Gloria Gaynor With Lesley Gore With Kathe Green With John Handy With High Inergy With Thelma Houston With Thelma Houston and Jerry Butler With Chuck Jackson With La Toya Jackson With Al Johnson With Gloria Jones With Margie Joseph With Eddie Kendricks With B.B. King With Ben E. King With The Miracles With Barbara Morrison With The Originals With Ray Parker Jr. With Peaches & Herb With Wilson Pickett With Billy Preston and Syreeta Wright With Helen Reddy With Martha Reeves With Rockie Robbins With Smokey Robinson With Kenny Rogers With David Ruffin With Jimmy Ruffin With Patrice Rushen With Lara Saint Paul With Bob Seger With Marlena Shaw With Carly Simon With Candi Staton With The Supremes With Tavares With The Temptations With Leon Ware With Deniece Williams With Lenny Williams With Stevie Wonder With Syreeta Wright With Michael Wycoff With Richard "Popcorn" Wylie
 * Blam! (A&M, 1978)
 * We're the Best of Friends (Capitol Records, 1979)
 * You're What's Missing in My Life (Motown, 1977)
 * Real (ABC, 1974)
 * Now We May Begin (Warner Bros. Records, 1980)
 * Natural High (Motown, 1978)
 * Heroes (Motown, 1980)
 * Flying (Capricorn, 1979)
 * High on Sunshine (Motown, 1979)
 * The Bitch Is Black (Motown, 1975)
 * Brass Fever (Impulse!, 1975)
 * Time Is Running Out (Impulse!, 1976)
 * What's Going On (Motown Records, 1971)
 * Let's Get It On (Motown Records, 1973)
 * I Want You (Motown Records, 1976)
 * Here, My Dear (Motown Records, 1978)
 * Stories (Polydor Records, 1980)
 * Love Me By Name (A&M, 1976)
 * Kathe Green (Motown, 1976)
 * Hard Work (Impulse, 1976)
 * Carnival (Impulse, 1977)
 * Steppin' Out (Gordy, 1978)
 * Hold On (Gordy, 1980)
 * High Inergy (Gordy, 1981)
 * So Right (Gordy, 1982)
 * Ready to Roll (Motown Records, 1978)
 * Ride to the Rainbow (Motown Records, 1979)
 * Thelma & Jerry (Motown, 1977)
 * I Wanna Give You Some Love (EMI, 1980)
 * La Toya Jackson (Polydor, 1980)
 * Back for More (Columbia, 1980)
 * Windstorm (Capitol Records, 1978)
 * Hear the Words, Feel the Feeling (Cotillon, 1976)
 * The Hit Man (Tamla, 1975)
 * King Size (ABC Records, 1977)
 * Let Me Live in Your Life (Atlantic Records, 1978)
 * City of Angels (Tamla, 1975)
 * The Power of Music (Tamla, 1976)
 * Love Is a Four-Letter Word (Esoteric, 1984)
 * California Street (Motown, 1975)
 * Communique (Soul, 1976)
 * Down to Love Town (Soul, 1978)
 * Woman Out of Control (Arista Records, 1983)
 * Worth the Wait (Polydor, 1980)
 * Don't Knock My Love (Atlantic Records, 1971)
 * Billy Preston & Syreeta (Motown Records, 1981)
 * Play Me Out (MCA Records, 1981)
 * Gotta Keep Moving (Fantasy Records, 1980)
 * You and Me (A&M, 1980)
 * Where There's Smoke... (Tamla, 1979)
 * Share Your Love (Liberty Records, 1981)
 * Me 'N Rock 'N Roll Are Here To Stay (Motown, 1974)
 * Jimmy Ruffin (Polydor, 1973)
 * Love Is All We Need (Polydor, 1975)
 * Posh (Elektra Records, 1980)
 * Saffo Music (Lasapa, 1977)
 * Smokin' O.P.'s (Reprise Records, 1972)
 * Back in '72 (Reprise Records, 1973)
 * Sweet Beginnings (Columbia, 1977)
 * Playing Possum (Elektra Records, 1975)
 * Young Hearts Run Free (Warner Bros. Records, 1976)
 * House of Love (Warner Bros. Records, 1978)
 * Floy Joy (Motown, 1972)
 * High Energy (Motown, 1976)
 * Mary, Scherrie & Susaye (Motown, 1976)
 * Supercharged (Capitol, 1980)
 * Puzzle People (Gordy, 1969)
 * Psychedelic Shack (Gordy, 1970)
 * Sky's the Limit (Gordy, 1971)
 * Solid Rock (Gordy, 1972)
 * All Directions (Gordy, 1972)
 * Masterpiece (Gordy, 1973)
 * The Temptations Do The Temptations (Gordy, 1976)
 * Bare Back (Gordy, 1978)
 * Power (Gordy, 1980)
 * Back to Basics (Gordy, 1983)
 * Musical Massage (Gordy, 1976)
 * Leon Ware (Elektra, 1982)
 * When Love Comes Calling (Columbia Records, 1978)
 * Spark of Love (ABC, 1978)
 * Songs in the Key of Life (Motown, 1976)
 * One to One (Motown Records, 1977)
 * The Spell (Tamla Records, 1983)
 * On the Line (RCA, 1983)
 * Extrasensory Percepition (ABC, 1974)