Ted Brown

Ted Brown in 1975, about 36 years of age.

David Edward ‘Ted’ Brown was a Paris native born about 1949. In the early 1970’s Jack Lewis spoke highly of the singer/songwriter and rhythm guitarist. Jack and Jim Allison had known each other for years, and when Jim needed a rhythm guitarist who could sing, Jack recommended Ted. Jim met Ted as soon as possible and when he did, he liked him. 

Ted joined Jim Allison's new band, Happy Tracks in June of 1974, and became a part of the forthcoming Thunderbird Recording family. When Jack Lewis and the rest of Maple Street were heading into the studio and looking for songs, Ted happily contributed two, 'Beautiful Woman' and 'Man In A Travelling Band.' The two songs were published by Kimberly Music. Maple Street’s debut album was issued in August 1974 on Marathon Records, a major independent label.

On September 5^th 1974 Jim Allison created Thunderbird Recording, which would go on to sign twenty-three acts from November 1974 to August 1978. Jim was also the leader of two bands, ‘The Canadian Rhythmaires’ from 1970 to 1974, which featured Gary Austin, and ‘Happy Tracks’ which existed for about a year, 1974 to 1975, which featured Tom Destry and Ted Brown. Maritimes musical legend Fred McKenna (1934 – 1977) was a good friend of Jim Allison’s and occasionally played in each of his two bands.

In November 1974, Ted presented four original songs at a label meeting. It was decided that Ted would cut two songs himself as a solo act, and the two others would go to Dug Bond and the Maple Street Show Band. Ted became the first official act signed to the label, followed by Jim Allison & Happy Tracks and then Dug Bond and the Maple Street Show Band. Ted was the first to have the rare distinction of being signed both in a band and as a solo artist. (Tom Destry earned this same distinction in July 1975) 

At the end of February 1975 Ted suddenly got cold feet and no longer wanted to be the star of the show. His single went instead to Happy Tracks. 

On March 14th 1975 Jim and his vocalists headed up to the Mercey Brothers Studio in Elmira where they with the aid of session musicians recorded the four songs. Ted enjoyed being in the studio, but laid low and sang the two Happy Tracks songs as a band member, and not as a star.

In May of 1975 Dug Bond and the Maple Street Show Band released their debut single, 'Living On Pogey' backed with 'Especially For You.' A month later Happy Tracks issued the single 'Here Comes The Night Again' backed with 'Inflation Blues.' Ted Brown now had six original compositions committed to vinyl, and FM radio really liked 'Man In A Travelling Band.' 

As Jim got busier and busier with the label, he found less and less time to play with his band. The icing on the cake was when Tom Destry quit both the band and label in September of 1975. By that time Happy Tracks ceased to exist. 

During the last week of January 1976 Charlie Louvin recorded Ted's song 'Especially For You' at Jim Allison's request. It was to be included on Charlie's Thunderbird album 'A World Of Give And Take,' which wasn't released until December 16th 2016. 

Jack Lewis hasn't heard from Ted for years, and this author would very much like to chat with him, and get things up to date and correct.