Vollie Brown - 1921 to present

Vollie "Vollie ball" Brown was raised on a farm in small town Louisiana picking cotton from can to can't. A movie was ten cents and was silent, There were no TV's but we knew that. About the only singer was Jimmie Rogers who died an early death from leukemia.

But World War II broke out and he joined the National Guard, then was drafted into the U.S. Army. He was an electrician stationed in the Philippines and ran telegraph wire through the trees. He said that you had to have a good ground so the signal would get through so if the ground was dry, they would pee on the ground stake to save water. He later became a member of the Artillery Battalion where he was responsible for setting the timing of the fuse in the 90mm anti-aircraft cannons.

When the war was over and Mr. Brown has rarely talked about it, he is admired my many for leaving it behind. He took the skills the army taught him in the 5 years of the war and opened up an electric motor rewind shop in Shreveport, Louisiana. He also bought a new Gibson guitar for $55 in 1946. He later moved his shop to a new building in 1961.

During the time after he bought the guitar, he was a rhythm guitar player in the Amazing Rhythm Aces. Later that band would go over to Governor Jimmie Davis mansion and play guitars with the Governor and his friends. He was also a close friend of Tillman Franks. He had an opportunity to "Get his sister over" contracted but existing obligations discouraged that.

In the early 1990's I heard him play Putt Putt Putt and was impressed. He taught me all the regular country chords and played a lot of country music, but this one was different. We had a new million dollar studio in town, Nightwing Recording Studio, and I knew the people running it and actually the owners son was my drummer in a little band I had. He went into the studio and thought it strange that they would record just him playing the guitar and then just him singing because he could play guitar and harmonica and sing all at the same time... he put the harmonica in his mouth sideways. Nightwing did a great job of recording and Vollie has been featured on local radio stations.

Since then he retired and volunteered his time to do one hour performances in retirement homes. That was truly a blessing for him, and his audience always looked forward to him... I tease him about having a captive audience. He has been featured in the newspaper about this. He just celebrated his sixty first wedding anniversary and will be 88 years old in August 2010. He listens to country music through a boom box outside everyday and recently put the guitar down because of fingering problems.

I have taken some of his tapes playing and singing, a couple of originals, many covers and transferred them to computer. I plan on uploading an original or two to compliment Putt Putt Putt. He got excited about me putting the music up for people to hear and what is his secret to a long healthy and prosperous life? Humor is what he says and I tell you he has the wits and jokes.