Jim Ed Brown: Three Times a Signature Star

It's hard enough to achieve a long-lasting career in Country Music. And it's even harder to imagine achieving that kind of success in three separate careers. But that's exactly what Jim Ed Brown has done! Discovered by Jim Reeves, Jim Ed has enjoyed amazing success through four decades as a member of the legendary Browns, as a solo artist, and as a Country duo with Helen Cornelius. This Sparkman, Arkansas, native grew up the all-American way by working on his family farm and sawmill operation. He was captain of his high school basketball and football teams, and was President of the student body. But Jim Ed Brown also developed an early interest in music and shared a radio series with sister Maxine on radio station KCLA in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, while he was still in high school.

Jim Ed and Maxine cut five singles in 1954, including "Looking Back To See," and were soon joined by sister Bonnie to form the Browns trio. Members of the "Louisiana Hayride," they soon joined the cast of Red Foley's "Ozark Jubilee" and were eventually brought to the attention of Chet Atkins at RCA by Jim Reeves, an admirer of the Browns and recent signee himself with the label. It was at RCA that the Browns forever made their signature mark as one of the great harmony teams of Country Music with their classic "The Three Bells," which remained the No. 1 Country song for ten weeks, the No. 1 Pop song for 4 weeks, and also reached the top 10 in the United Kingdom. The song led to national television exposure, subsequent cross-over successes—including Scarlet Ribbons (For Her Hair)—and the Browns becoming members of the Grand Ole Opry in 1963.

Jim Ed made his mark with the May 1967 release of his signature solo hit, "Pop A Top." Jim Ed would consistently chart through the middle 1970s with a number of top-charting hits, including "Bottle, Bottle," "Morning," "Sometime Sunshine" and "It's That Time Of Night." Now two times an established Country star, Jim Ed joined with the lovely Helen Cornelius in 1976. This combination would not only prove to be one of the most successful and popular Country duos of the 1970s and early 1980s, but also would bring Jim Ed yet another signature hit and stellar chapter in his multi-faceted career. Jim Ed and Helen instantly became one of the great duos of their time. One of their first efforts, "I Don't Want To Have To Marry You," quickly became a smash No. 1 hit, and has since become their signature hit.

Other chart hits such as "Saying Hello, Saying I Love You, Saying Goodbye," "If The World Ran Out Of Love Tonight," "Morning Comes Too Early," "Lying In Love With You" and "Fools" led to nationwide popularity and consistent industry recognition, including five nominations as the Country Music Association's Vocal Duo of the Year and being named the winners of that award in 1977. Before their split in 1981, Jim Ed and Helen enjoyed great success as featured guests on many major radio and television shows in the late 1970s, as well as hosting their own syndicated television program, "Nashville On The Road." Their breakup brought to an end Jim Ed's glory days—a career that made him three times a signature star. –Winston Harless