Mel Brown (October 7, 1939March 20, 2009) was an American-born blues guitarist and singer. He is best remembered for his decade-long backing of Bobby Bland,

One of Brown's most celebrated tracks is the 11+ minute guitar solo, "Eighteen Pounds of Unclean Chitlings", which features on I'd Rather Suck My Thumb (1970), and was reissued as the lead track (and title) on a BluesWay Records collection released in 1973.

For many years in the 1980s and 1990s, Brown was a prominent member of the house band at Antone's Night Club in Austin, Texas.

A documentary film, Love Lost & Found: The Story of Mel Brown directed by Sean Jasmins for Blue Fusion Productions was granted a theatrical release in 2014.

Visit Mississippi unveiled a Mississippi Blues Trail Marker in Kitchner. The ceremony happening on August 9, 2025 and coincided with the Kitchner Blues Festival.

Discography

As leader

  • 1967: Chicken Fat (ABC Impulse!)
  • 1968: The Wizard (ABC Impulse!)
  • 1969: Blues for We (ABC Impulse!)
  • 1970: I'd Rather Suck My Thumb (ABC Impulse!) includes Brown's signature tune, "Eighteen Pounds of Unclean Chitlings"
  • 1971: Mel Brown's Fifth (ABC Impulse!)
  • 1973: Big Foot Country Girl (ABC Impulse!)
  • 1973: Eighteen Pounds of Unclean Chitlins and Other Greasy Blues Specialties (BluesWay) compilation
  • 1998: Can't Stop Blowin' (Electro-Fi) Snooky Pryor with special guest Mel Brown
  • 1999: Neck Bones & Caviar (Electro-Fi) Mel Brown
  • 2000: Double Shot! (Electro-Fi) Snooky Pryor and Mel Brown
  • 2001: Homewreckin’ Done Live (Electro-Fi) Mel Brown and the Homewreckers
  • 2004: Coming From the Old School (Electro-Fi) Sam Myers with special guest Mel Brown
  • 2006: Blues – A Beautiful Thing (Electro-Fi) Mel Brown and the Homewreckers
  • 2006: Mel Brown – The DVD (Electro-Fi)
  • 2010: Love, Lost and Found (Electro-Fi) compilation

As sideman

  • Clifford Coulter – East Side San Jose (Impulse!, 1970)
  • Clifford Coulter – Do It Now! (Impulse!, 1971)
  • B.B. King – L.A. Midnight – Guitar
  • B.B. King and Bobby Blue Bland – Together for the First Time... Live – Guitar
  • Albert Collins – Cold Snap – Guitar
  • James Cotton – Mighty Long Time – Piano
  • Lightnin' Hopkins – It’s a Sin To Be Rich – Guitar, Organ, Electric Piano
  • John Lee Hooker – Endless Boogie – Acoustic Guitar
  • John Lee Hooker – Never Get Out of These Blues Alive – Guitar and Bass
  • Jimmy McGriff – The Starting Five (Milestone, 1987) - Guitar
  • Jimmy McGriff – The Dream Team (Milestone, 1997) – Guitar
  • Doug Sahm – Juke Box Music – Keyboards
  • Earl Hooker – Simply The Best – Guitar
  • Charles Brown – Legend – Guitar
  • T-Bone Walker – Stormy Monday Blues (BluesWay, 1968)
  • T-Bone Walker – Funky Town (BluesWay, 1969)
  • Monica Dupont – Vintage (1980) – Guitar
  • Little Bobby and the Jumpstarts – Tickets in the Glovebox – Piano, Guitar
  • Harmonica Shah – Listen At Me Good – Guitar

References

  • Biography @ Electrofi.com
  • Facebook page for Documentary Film Love Lost & Found: The Story of Mel Brown
  • Jimmie Vaughan Remembers Mel Brown