Eddie "Bongo" Brown

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Eddie "Bongo" Brown (September 13, 1932 – December 28, 1984) was an American musician born in Clarksdale, Mississippi, and raised in Memphis, Tennessee. Brown played congas, bongos, the gourd and claves for Motown Records' in-house Funk Brothers band. 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.

He died in Los Angeles, California in 1984, aged 52. He was survived by his wife, Geraldine Brown, and his children, Larry Cole, Larnetta Porter, Damita Brown-Haynie, Curtis Brown, and Edward Brown III.

Discography[]

As sideman[]

With Gloria Jones

• Windstorm (Capitol Records, 1978)

With Carly Simon

• Playing Possum (Elektra Records, 1975)

With Brass Fever

• Brass Fever (Impulse!, 1975)
• Time Is Running Out (Impulse!, 1976)

With Thelma Houston

• Ready to Roll (Motown Records, 1978)
• Ready to the Rainbow (Motown Records, 1979)

With Marvin Gaye

• 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)

With Billy Preston and Syreeta Wright

• Billy Preston & Syreeta (Motown Records, 1981)

With Gloria Gaynor

• Stories (Polydor Records, 1980)

With Deniece Williams

• When Love Comes Calling (Columbia Records, 1978)

With Ben E. King

• Let Me Live in Your Life (Atlantic Records, 1978)

With Candi Staton

• Young Hearts Run Free (Warner Bros. Records, 1976)
• House of Love (Warner Bros. Records, 1978)

With Chuck Jackson

• I Wanna Give You Some Love (EMI, 1980)

With Wilson Pickett

• Don't Knock My Love (Atlantic Records, 1971)

With Martha Reeves

• Gotta Keep Moving (Fantasy Records, 1980)

With Bob Seger

• Smokin' O.P.'s (Reprise Records, 1972)
• Back in '72 (Reprise Records, 1973)

With Helen Reddy

• Play Me Out (MCA Records, 1981)

With Stevie Wonder

• Songs in the Key of Life (Motown, 1976)
• Hotter than July (Motown, 1980)

With Thelma Houston and Jerry Butler

• Thelma & Jerry (Motown, 1977)

With Patrice Rushen

• Posh (Elektra Records, 1980)

With B.B. King

• King Size (ABC Records, 1977)

With Kenny Rogers

• Share Your Love (Liberty Records, 1981)

With Peabo Bryson and Natalie Cole

• We're the Best of Friends (Capitol Records, 1979)

With John Handy

• Hard Work (ABC/Impulse, 1976)
• Carnival (ABC/Impulse, 1977)

With Syreeta Wright

• One to One (Motown Records, 1977)
• The Spell (Tamla Records, 1983)

With Ray Parker Jr.

• Woman Out of Control (Arista Records, 1983)

With Randy Crawford

• Now We May Begin (Warner Bros. Records, 1980)

References[]

External links[]

• Standing in the Shadows of Motown at IMDb