Ruth Brown started out humbly when she signed with Atlantic Records. She sounded good, she had some original ‘quirks’ , and she really didn’t have anywhere else to start her singing, so she gave it a shot. Brown enjoyed recording, and she especially loved singing her own songs. However, she wasn’t often permitted to do so. She felt very strongly about singing the blues, but the owners of Atlantic were asking more of her- more upbeat, jumping tunes that would get the crowds moving. And each time that Brown would complain about this, Herb Abramson and Ahmet Ertegun just asked her to stay focused on what she was working on. This may have been okay if she had been paid the sum that she was supposed to. Her salary began to decrease, and it eventually reached the point where she wasn’t given money unless she asked for it. To make matters even worse, her somewhat hits were made huge by other, white artists, while Brown never saw a cent. Most people think that, once one is signed onto a record label, one should be receiving a handsome sum, at least to make a living. Brown was prohibited from singing the blues, when I’m sure she was feeling them most strongly, she wasn’t receiving her share/due, and everything that had made her famous just ended up making someone else famous more so than herself. Ruth Brown was a magnificent artist who hasn’t gotten the respect and credit that she deserves. Her squeals, sass, stage presence, and all-around powerfully moving voice were sure to wow any listener, including myself. I had never listened to Ruth Brown’s work until I was asked to read about her, and I am so glad to have had the opportunity to broaden my musical knowledge.