Artist page

Babs Gonzales, born Lee Brown on October 27, 1919, in Newark, New Jersey, was an American jazz singer, be-bop vocalist, poet, and self-published author. He passed away on January 23, 1980, in Newark, New Jersey. Known for his innovative contributions to the jazz scene, Gonzales portrayed the struggles faced by many black musicians in his writings, addressing themes such as disk jockeys, club owners, liquor, drugs, and racism. He and his two brothers were nicknamed after a basketball player named Big Babbiad. From a young age, he studied piano and learned to play drums, performing in clubs. In the late 1940s, he adopted the persona of Ram Singh, wearing a turban and passing as an Indian national. He also worked as a chauffeur for Errol Flynn and used the name Ricardo Gonzales to secure better accommodations in hotels. Gonzales was a pioneer of the scat vocalese style and played a significant role in popularizing Bop music.

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