686 Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown (1924-2005) “Okie Dokie Stomp” 1954

“Gatemouth’s career got started in 1947. He performed as a drummer during a year of Army service, then began taking his guitar playing more seriously after filling in one night for T-Bone Walker in Houston in 1947. Walker, one of the few guitarists he admitted liking, was ill and left the stage mid set. Gatemouth walked onstage, picked up Walker’s guitar and made up a song on the spot he called ‘Gatemouth Boogie.’ He clamed that he earned $600 in tips in 15 minutes…His music was born of the swing era and he became an architect of modern guitar playing and rock ‘n’ roll by bridging the two eras” (Joe Krown, Sing Out!, Winter 2006). 

Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown “Okie Dokie Stomp”