Jim Ed Brown Has Been Diagnosed with Lung Cancer
Jim Ed Brown, member of the influential early country family band The Browns, esteemed solo artist, and long-time devoted member of the Grand Ole Opry, has been diagnosed with lung Cancer. Brown made the announcement today after he was forced to cancel a few shows recently.
“Some of you may have heard various rumors since I have had to cancel a few shows over the past few weekends. To clarify and put those rumors to bed, I wanted to just come out and explain what is going on,” Jim Ed said in a statement. “Two weeks ago, I was diagnosed with lung cancer. At that time, I was in shock and scared as I didn’t know what that really meant. After testing, the doctors have asked me to take the next 4 months off from touring and to focus on chemotherapy and radiation treatments to shrink the cancer cells. I will keep you all updated on the progress. I am forever grateful for the love, support, and prayers during this time.”
Jim Ed also posted a video taken today (9-30) after his very first Cancer treatment. “I just had my first treatment today,” Brown says brandishing a bandaged arm and looking confident and healthy, “And I’m going to beat it with chemo and radiation. But I want to thank you for your prayers and support. And I’m going to beat this little thing called Cancer, and I’m going to be all right in the next, well, maybe four months, okay? See you next year!”
80-year-old Jim Ed Brown was born in Sparkman, Arkansas, and began playing music with his sister Maxine in a duo, and later with sister Bonnie in the music group The Browns. The family band was big on the Louisiana Hayride and the Ozark Jubilee, and had numerous hits, including the #1 “The Three Bells” in 1959. In 1963 The Browns joined the Grand Ole Opry, and Jim Ed has been a fixture on the Opry stage ever since. The Browns disbanded in 1967, but Jim Ed pursued a solo career, scoring his first hit “Pop A Top” in 1967, and multiple hits throughout the 70’s including the #1 “I Don’t Want to Have to Marry You.”
Jim Ed currently hosts a syndicated two-hour radio show called the Country Music Greats Radio Show. He lives in Brentwood, TN with his wife Becky.
September 30, 2014 @ 11:03 am
And chances are pretty good that no country radio station will report this.
September 30, 2014 @ 12:57 pm
Such a shame. He’s such a talented singer and songwriter. Wishing all the best to him and his family.
September 30, 2014 @ 1:02 pm
I was just thinking about him recently, following the death of George Hamilton IV, since those two, as well as the late Jack Greene were mainstays of the Opry every time I’ve visited Nashville.
Hope he has a speedy recovery and I look forward to seeing him on the Opry stage again soon.
September 30, 2014 @ 2:33 pm
I believe the Browns broke up in ’67, not ’69; and Jim Ed started recording solo in ’65, two years before the disbanding. Also, Pop a Top was in ’67, not the 70’s as the article states.
September 30, 2014 @ 3:53 pm
Hate to hear this. Lots of prayers that it can be treated. I lost my Dad to lung cancer in 2002. Some of my fondest childhood memories revolve around hearing my Dad sing along with artists like Jim Ed.
October 1, 2014 @ 4:00 am
That’s sad news. I saw Jim Ed at the Opry in June (as part of a nicely old-school flavoured line-up also featuring Bill Anderson, Mel Tillis, and Bobby Osborne) and he sounded great! Hope I get to see and hear him again!
October 1, 2014 @ 6:15 am
The Browns’ #1 hit was “The Three Bells,” not “Three Little Bells.”
October 2, 2014 @ 10:33 am
The Brown’s helped bring worldwide attention to country music. Before the Brown’s mainstream country/pop hits country music was mostly a southeastern music. The Browns produced by Chet Atkins in legendary RCA studio B during the Nashville Sound era made country music and internationally popular music and it has stayed that way ever since. It is sad and inexcusable that the Brown’s with their great contributions to the growth of country music and Jim Ed who has had 3 TV shows, a radio show, many solo hits and a 50 veteran of the Grand Ole Opry are not yet in the Country Music Hall of Fame.