Chuck Brown, known as the "Godfather of Go-Go," a style of percussion-heavy funk pioneered in Washington, D.C., died Wednesday. His death , quoting his manager, and other local outlets confirmed his death with family members.
Brown had been hospitalized for pneumonia. He was 75.
As the Post notes, Brown's signature was a gravelly voice that "capitalized on funk's percussive pulse to create go-go."
The genre of music never quite made it big outside Washington, D.C., but in that city, it was a giant, played at every family gathering and every go-go club. The clack of the snares — that smooth, mesmerizing groove — was heard blaring from cars crisscrossing the city.
, in the nation's capital, Brown was king, revered since the '70s as the godfather of music uniquely identified with the city.
Frannie noted that Brown started out as a jazz guitarist and later created go-go by incorporating elements of "funk, jazz, R&B, hip-hop and dancehall."
NPR's music blog, .
Brown performed a Tiny Desk Concert at NPR HQ in Washington back in 2010. Here's video:
Update at 5:17 p.m. ET. Died Of Multiple Organ Failure:
Brown's manager, Tom Goldfogle tells NPR that Brown died of "multiorgan failure from " at a hospital in Baltimore.
"He was 75 years old, with a career spanning four decades," he said. "His family continues to be grateful for the outpouring of love and support."
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