CHUCK BROWN, Godfather of Go-Go, Has Passed

Chuck Brown, godfather of go-go, the genre of music that has soundtracked life in black Washington for more than three decades, died May 16 at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. He was 75.
Mr. Brown had been hospitalized for pneumonia and died of complications from sepsis.
Brown's musical career began in the 1960s playing guitar with Jerry Butler and The Earls of Rhythm, Brown's early hits include "I Need Some Money" and "Bustin' Loose". "Bustin' Loose" is the Washington Nationals baseball team home run celebration song and Nelly created a rendition of it for his 2002 number one hit "Hot in Herre."
Brown resided in Brandywine, Maryland. He had 2 sons, Wiley, a musician and football player at Virginia Tech and Nekos Brown, who played a defensive end/linebacker for the Virginia Tech football team. While his son was in college, Brown scheduled concerts and other appearances around the Hokies home schedule to ensure that he would never miss a game, and became a fixture at Lane Stadium.

Mr. Brown limited his performing time but still took the stage as often as possible. He would often comment on his golden years in rhyme.

"I'm not retired because I'm not tired. I'm still getting hired, and I'm still inspired," he said in 2006. "As long as I can walk up on that stage, I want to make people happy. I want to make people dance."