"Go Go" King Chuck Brown dies at 76

Share this article

    Chuck Brown, the "Godfather of Go Go" who became a DC musical legend, has died at age 76 from pneumonia. Brown was best known to soul music fans for his 1979 dance smash, "Bustin' Loose."

    Chuck Brown, the "Godfather of Go Go" who became a DC musical legend, has died at age 76 from pneumonia. Brown was best known to soul music fans for his 1979 dance smash, "Bustin' Loose."

    Brown was a pioneer of the "Go Go" sound, a heavy, irresistible percussive sound that became associated with the DC area for over three decades. Brown broke out in 1979 with his group, the Soul Searchers and topped the R&B charts with "Bustin' Loose." He wasn't able to capitalize on the song and keep national attention, but he remained royalty in the District and continued to perform nonstop for the next three decades. Ironically, as he approached age 70, the world obtained a new appreciation for his work, and he began to chart regularly with albums like We're About the Business and 2010's We Got This.

    SoulTrackers most recently heard Brown as a guest artist on the hot duet with Kindred the Family Soul, "Going to the Go Go."

    Brown was a musical pioneer who will be missed.