07/22/16   One Of Dallas Counties Most famous Singers Dies At 77

Bonnie Brown, one of three siblings whose smooth harmonies as the Browns influenced generations of singers, died Saturday, July 17 in Little Rock from complications of lung cancer. She was 77.

The Browns whose other members were Bonnie Brown's older brother Jim Ed Brown and her older sister Maxine Brown, helped define the Nashville Sound of the 1950's and 60's. They were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2015.

The Browns were from Sparkman and began singing at school and church functions. In 1952, according to the Hall of Fame's website, Maxine entered Jim Ed in a talent contest, and although he lost to a harmonica player, the radio station that ran the competition was impressed by his performance and Made him a regular.

Maxine soon joined him on stage, in television appearances and on record. They were joined by Bonnie in 1955 and the trio's version of “Here Today And Gone Tomorrow”, made it to Billboard's country top 10. The Browns were signed by RCA Victor records in 1956.

The group also had success on the pop chart with, “The Three Bells”, which reached No. 1 in 1959. The Browns disbanded in 1968 as Jim Ed and Maxine pursued solo carriers, reuniting in the 1980s and again in 2006 for a PBS special “Country Pop Legends “.

Survivors include her sister Maxine. Jim Ed Brown went on to become a star on the Grand Ole Opry and to have several country hits on his own and with Helen Cornelius. He died last year.