Photo by Steven M. Cummings, Anacostia Community Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Photo by Steven M. Cummings, Anacostia Community Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

By Izetta Autumn Mobley |

Born August 22, 1936, the “godfather” of Go Go music, Chuck Brown, would have been 81 years old this Tuesday. Brown’s drum-infused, polyrhythmic, call and response anchored music, put D.C.’s unique cultural style on the map. Brown’s first album We the People, was released with The Soul Searchers in 1972. Six years later, Brown’s first big hit 1978’s “Bustin’ Loose” featured the funk horns, drums, and audience engagement for which Brown became best known. 

With its multigenerational pull, danceable beats, and ability to tell stories, Go Go reached thousands – and became the iconic signature of D.C. In 2012, to commemorate Brown’s death and celebrate his life, then-Mayor Vincent Gray designated a day in August – close to Brown’s birthday, to serve as Chuck Brown Day. Today we celebrate the legendary musician, pictured here performing on top of another D.C. icon – the Big Chair, located at Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and V Street SE.

Want to learn more about Go Go? We recommend the following: 

Visit Us

DC History Center
801 K Street Northwest, Washington, DC

Thursday-Friday, 12pm-7pm
Saturday-Sunday, 12pm-6pm

Make History

Support

As a private, nonprofit organization, the DC History Center relies on generous gifts from individuals, foundations, and corporations to support our mission. In times of upheaval and uncertainty, we rely on history to guide us.

Donate

(More Ways to Give)

Connect

Keep up with the latest news from the DC History Center! Subscribe to our newsletter.

Sign Up

Learn

At the DC History Center, we tell the diverse stories of our nation’s capital to a broad community of learners. We seek to bring people together to satisfy their curiosity, learn each other’s stories, and develop respect for the larger community in which we live.

Learn More

© Copyright 2024