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From The 2005-2006 Bellsouth / Miami Herald African
American History Calendar
 Thomas
Brown III was born on August 2, 1959 in Miami, Florida
to Thomas and Julia Brown. He attended Holmes Elementary
Holy Redeemer Catholic School, Horace Mann Middle
School, and graduated from Miami Central Senior High
School in 1977. Brown majored in music at Howard
University in Washington, DC, and later at the
University of Miami in Coral Gables.
Brown was an aspiring talented musician and writer.
It all started when his father purchased a shiny new
trumpet for him at the age of 5. For Thomas, who had
always displayed a love for music, it was the most
precious gift he could have received. With a passion for
music and a trumpet in hand, he went on to dedicate his
life to music.
In 1976, Brown was a student at Miami Central under
the tutelage of Mr. Kenneth Tolbert. Tolbert petitioned
the Florida Bandmasters Association to include a piece
titled Napoli, which even today is considered a very
challenging piece for a trumpet soloist. To the
amazement of all, Brown played the piece expertly. For
this accomplishment, Brown received recognition, awards,
and was ultimately selected trumpet section leader for
Florida's All State Symphonic Band. He became the first
black musician to receive Best Trumpet Player Award for
the State of Florida. He was later selected to play lead
trumpet in Howard University's, and the University of
Miami's Jazz Ensembles.
Throughout his prolific music career, Brown has
performed with a number of notable groups, such as:
Panama Francis, the 1930's band leader of the Savoy
Sultans (the Sultans performed in the world famous
Cotton Club with the great Duke Ellington), Lee Varity
and the Variations, Ron Lewis Smith of KC and the
Sunshine Band, Michael Johnson and Silver Platinum, and
made appearances with Cameo in Fort Lauderdale Florida's
Sunrise Theater.
Brown did not limit his musical abilities to the
trumpet. He also excelled at the keyboard, percussion,
he sang, and was accomplished at writing, arranging, and
composing music. He has been credited for having more
than 70 songs published. At age 27, Brown was selected
by New York music publisher Morton Browne to update
Happy Birthday America and I'm Proud to be an American
with modern music arrangements. Browne, a publisher for
40 years, said he selected Brown after hearing him play
on other recordings.
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When Brown released his highly anticipated debut
album "No Turning Back'', it soared on Billboards
recommended dance/disco picks. The tracks on the album
offer a blend of jazz and R& B, a spectrum of
acoustically synthesized pop-funk; music that captured
audiences from young to old and from every walk of life.
Brown was labeled as the next Winton Marsalis by many
of his peers, and in 1979 Marsalis requested to meet the
amazing young trumpet player from Miami. On a performing
engagement in West Palm Beach, Marsalis invited Brown to
his performance and the two finally met.
Brown was always proud of growing up in the Liberty
City area, and many times, after playing Mozart in the
Knight Center downtown, he could be found visiting his
favorite neighborhood grocery store "Bobo's"
off Northwest 91st Street and 17th Avenue, or hanging
out with friends in the neighborhood.
Brown passed away on December 29, 1999, but his music
will live forever.
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