Tony Russell “Charles” Brown (September 13, 1922 – January 21, 1999) was an American singer and pianist whose soft-toned, slow-paced nightclub style influenced West Coast blues in the 1940s and 1950s. Between 1949 and 1952, Brown had seven Top 10 hits in the U.S. Billboard R&B chart. His best-selling recordings included “Driftin’ Blues” and “Merry Christmas Baby“. Brown was born in Texas City, Texas. As a child he loved music and received classical music training on the piano.