Statue unveiled in downtown Kitchener honours late blues icon Mel Brown
There’s a new statue in downtown Kitchener that honours the late musician, Mel Brown.
It was unveiled during a special ceremony on Thursday at the intersection of Halls Lane West and Queen Street South.
He died more than a decade ago but Brown’s legacy lives on.
MEL BROWN’S ROOTS
Brown was born in Mississipi in 1939 but how he ended up living the last 30 years of his life in Kitchener is a unique story.
Glenn Smith the owner of Ethel’s Lounge in Waterloo and former owner of the blues bar Pop the Gator knew Brown well.
"He knew I was opening a club in Kitchener and I was going to put a house band together and I wanted him to lead the house band, and I pitched him this idea one day we were at Willie Nelson's golf course and I said ‘why don’t you move to Kitchener? And he said ‘okay’ and that was it. The whole thing took about 10 seconds,” recalled Smith.
He said he couldn’t believe he snagged a musician like Mel Brown.
“It was huge. It was like saying we got a new player on the team, Sydney Crosby, it was that big,” said Smith.
Smith said without Brown, there is no Kitchener blues scene.
“He invented it really. There would be no Kitchener blues fest without him,” he said.
Smith described him as a very giving and loving person.
“Never saw him angry unless I didn't pay him enough, but he was great guy. He cheated at golf a little bit but who doesn't,” joked Smith.
BROWN’S WIFE SHOWS SUPPORT
Brown’s widow, Miss Angel, was initially less thrilled to move.
“I wanted to go home,” she admitted. “It was so cold. It was colder than I had ever been in my whole life, even in June I was cold.”
Miss Angel is also from Mississippi and an accomplished singer. She said Brown was looking for place to put down roots and build a legacy.
“He was searching for a place that he could feel good,” Angel said.
MEL BROWN STATUE
The artist who made the statue said he drew on Brown’s energy to create it.
“He kept going and it means a lot to me because my father did the same thing. It was like a replica of my father, honestly, it was an emotional moment to me,” said Abiola Idwu, the sculptor.
The statue acts as a lasting tribute to a very special man.
“His heart would be happy. I think he would be happy,” said Miss Angel.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Another suspect arrested in Toronto Pearson airport gold heist: police
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
BREAKING Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Poilievre-led government 'would never' use notwithstanding clause on abortion, his office says
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Cyclist strikes child crossing the street to catch school bus in Montreal
A video circulating on social media of a young girl being hit by a bike has some calling for better safety and more caution when designing bike lanes in the city. The video shows a four-year-old girl crossing Jeanne-Mance Street in Montreal's Plateau neighbourhood to get on a school bus stopped on the opposite side of the street