Country Folk Trio ‘The Browns’ Perform Their Hit ‘Three Bells’ For Star-Studded Audience
on Jul 29, 2016 • Updated Jan 25, 2023
Talk about a major throwback! Back in September of 2011, a video of the former country folk trio, The Browns, doing a small reunion performance made its way to the pages of YouTube. The trio sang their 1959 hit “The Three Bells” on a very homely and quaint stage surrounded by other folk country artists such as themselves. Their “Nashville sound” song soothed their country comrades, including the great Chet Atkins and Skeeter Davis, and told a lyrical story of a man’s prominent life events.
The Browns, who were in fact siblings, became a trio in 1955 when their youngest sister, Bonnie Brown, made the rewarding decision to join both Jim Ed Brown and Maxine Brown whom had been consistently performing and recording together prior to the addition. The three would go on to record a number of top charting hits and, ultimately, be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2015.
Jim Ed Brown passed away in June of 2015 from lung cancer. He was 81. The youngest sister, Bonnie Brown, passed away earlier this July from lung cancer, as well. She was a couple weeks shy of her 78th birthday.
Although Maxine Brown remains the last living member of the iconic trio, their complete group remains alive through the spirit of their music.
Check out their reunion performance for yourself.
