Leonard "Lowdown" Brown - Blues Is Calling Me (2023)

At the age of 70, Houston’s master soul-bluesman Leonard “Lowdown” Brown will release his debut record, Blues is Calling Me, via Music Maker Foundation. Founded in 1994 by Tim and Denise Duffy, the non-profit helps “the true pioneers and forgotten heroes of Southern music gain recognition and meet their day-to-day needs.” Leonard is proud to be a part of their community, enthusing, “I’ve dealt with record companies before, and their bottom line is different from Music Maker’s. They are behind the musicians, pushing them and trying to get people exposed that would otherwise never be seen. It has been real fine to be a part of it.”

Music Maker has even hooked him up with a set at the Baton Rouge Blues Festival. When asked what he loves about playing for a live audience, he shares, “The thing about music, to me, is that it’s a way to bring people together and get them on the same frequency. Most people come to listen to music to have fun and dance; it’s a way to unify people. Music is what we have in common.”

An electric guitar-slinging blues legend in the Houston music scene, his virtuosic fingerwork and formidable voice seem effortless, evidence of his raw talent and over four decades of dedication to his craft. “It’s always been a passion for me, music. It’s always been that way. I think I was born to be a musician,” he says.