The Godfather of Go-Go which started in DC...Chuck Brown would be 81 years old on Tuesday. His Legend lives on.
— Kathy Stewart (@KStewart草莓传媒)
Chuck Brown Day bands playing Brown's music Audience on their feet.
— Kathy Stewart (@KStewart草莓传媒)
Tribute to Chuck Brown, the Godfather of Go-Go, in Northeast DC Saturday at Chuck Brown Memorial Park.
— Kathy Stewart (@KStewart草莓传媒)
WASHINGTON 鈥� This coming Tuesday would have been the “Godfather of Go-Go” Chuck Brown鈥檚 81st birthday. But on Saturday a celebration for the D.C. music icon was taking place at a park that’s named in his honor.
At the Chuck Brown Memorial Park in Northeast, D.C. his legend carries on with the celebration of the third annual Chuck Brown Day. It鈥檚 a day full of bands playing his music and his fans up dancing or grooving in their lawn chairs or on their blankets.
This was the first Chuck Brown Day that Dorothy Shipman and her friend Bernadette Allen attended. They鈥檙e both from Largo, Maryland.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a family oriented event and (has) good music. And so I love Chuck Brown,鈥� Shipman said.
She said her mother loved Brown and used to listen to him all the time. And that’s where she got her love for his music.
鈥淗is music was just, oh my gosh, it would just get you moving, dancing, bopping your head, stomping your feet. And he鈥檚 been around a long time,鈥� Shipman said.
Allen said Brown鈥檚 music is multigenerational.
鈥淗is music has gone from generation to generation, from the oldest of the oldest to the youngest of the young,鈥� Allen said.
Brown was born on Aug. 22, 1936 in Gaston, North Carolina. He lived in poverty throughout much of his childhood. Brown, a guitarist and singer, is known as the creator of Go-Go music. Brown died in 2012.
鈥淐huck Brown and Go-Go. He鈥檚 just an icon and a legend. A true legend,鈥� said local radio DJ Chris Paul with Majic 102.3.
Although Go-Go started in D.C. Paul said, 鈥淗e just took it nationwide. He鈥檚 like Chuck Berry in Rock-n-Roll, Chuck Brown and Go-Go. No matter where you go everybody knows Chuck Brown.鈥�
Paul said that whenever Brown was around, there was a feeling of love, family and togetherness.
鈥淭his park is not a monument to Chuck Brown,鈥� Paul said during Saturday鈥檚 celebration. 鈥淭he people who are here dancing and celebrating him, that鈥檚 the true monument: the people who love Chuck Brown and will love him forever.鈥�
