About Me
I am Nat Brown, a saxophonist and singer dedicated to the timeless art of soul music. With a heart that beats with nostalgia and a craft honed over decades, I bring an old-fashioned warmth to every performance. My journey is defined by a deep passion for the craft, where every note is a conversation with the past and a promise to the future.
Drawing together elements of soul, pop, and R&B, Nat Brown, the singer/saxophone player, has become well liked, for he is smooth stylings on classic songs. With casual ease, Nat plays and sings songs from mini genres, including a few originals, and has been featured on radio and television shows throughout California. Having shared the stage with Little Richard, Etta James, Ray Charles, and Ike and Tina Turner in earlier days, it’s no wonder Nat is reaching for the stars.
Biography
Education
Early Life
Today
Nat credits his family for the strong musical roots that runs through his veins. But there was a pivotal event that changed his life’s course. At only 12 years old, Nat was playing with a group of friends on a school yard when he was shot in the face and lost his sight. Nat was promised a saxophone if he agreed to attend The Missouri School for the Blind.
After Nat made good on that deal, he reaped the benefits of higher education. Nat received his BA from Central Missouri State University, Masters degree from Cal State Los Angeles and his Ph.D in Clinical Psychology from the International College in San Diego. Nat often says that, while he may have lost the gift of sight, he was given the gift of insight.
At 23, sax in tow, Nat hopped a bus to LA. He joined a budding local band of disabled musicians called The Handicappers. After the band split, Nat and two other members formed a band called The Soul Swingers. The band performed back up for prominent artists like Ray Charles, Etta James, and Little Richard. By 1972, Nat moved to San Jose and started to establish himself as a solo artist.
On the heels of his first successful CD, "First Day in Love", comes Nat’s latest, musical accomplishment, “Intimate Moments-This Is Your Night” Nat gave a special performance at the Missouri School for the Blind in Saint Louis to give tribute to those who helped him along the way. Nat has never allowed his blindness to be a wall, just a hurdle that he has cleared many times.
Currently, Nat resides in Northern California. He still performs at private engagements and special events. Nat is a patron, steadfast in supporting those experiencing financial hardship. In 2013, after winning a nationwide competition with a grand prize of $50,000, he donated the proceeds to a woman whose living arrangements were unstable. In 2022, Nat contributed to The Malawi Education fund. Nat was also honored with the Iris Award by the city of Elk Grove for his prominence as a musician.