Thomas Brown III was born on August 2, 1959 in Miami, Florida to Thomas and Julia Brown. He attended Holmes Elementary, Holy Redeemer Catholic School, Horace Mann Middle School, and graduated from Miami Central Senior High School in 1977. Brown majored in music at Howard University in Washington, DC, and later at the University of Miami in Coral Gables.

Brown was an aspiring, talented musician and writer. It all started when his father purchased a shiny new trumpet for him at the age of 8. For Thomas, who had always displayed a love for music, it was the most precious gift he could have received. With a passion for music and a trumpet in hand, he went on to dedicate his life to music.

In 1976, Brown was a student at Miami Central under the tutelage of Mr. Kenneth Tolbert. Tolbert petitioned the Florida Bandmasters Association to include a piece titled Napoli, which even today is considered a very challenging piece for a trumpet soloist. To the amazement of all, Brown played the piece expertly. For this accomplishment, Brown received recognition, awards, and was ultimately selected trumpet section leader for Florida’s All State Symphonic Band. He became the first black musician to receive “Best Trumpet Player Award” for the State of Florida. He was later selected to play lead trumpet in Howard University’s, and the University of Miami’s, Jazz Ensembles.

Throughout his prolific music career, Brown has performed with a number of notable groups, such as: Panama Francis, the 1930’s band leader of the Savoy Sultans (the Sultans performed in the world famous Cotton Club with the great Duke Ellington), Lee Varity and the Variations, Ron Lewis Smith of KC and the Sunshine Band, Michael Johnson and Silver Platinum, and made appearances with Cameo in Fort Lauderdale Florida’s Sunrise Theater.

Brown did not limit his musical abilities to the trumpet. He also excelled at the keyboard, percussion, he sang, and was accomplished at writing, arranging and composing music. He has been credited for having more than 70 songs published. At age 27, Brown was selected by New York music publisher Morton Browne to update Happy Birthday America and I’m Proud to be An American with modern music arrangements. Browne, a publisher for 40 Years, said he selected Brown after hearing him play on other recordings.

When Brown released his highly anticipated debut album “No Turning Back”, it soared on Billboards recommended dance/disco picks. The tracks on the album offer a blend of jazz and R&B, a spectrum of acoustically synthesized pop-funk; music that captured audiences from young to old and from every walk of life.

Brown was labeled as the next Winton Marsalis by many of his peers, and in 1979 Marsalis requested to meet the amazing young trumpet player from Miami. On a performing engagement in West Palm Beach, Marsalis invited Brown to his performance and the two finally met.

Brown was always proud of growing up in the Liberty City area, and many times, after playing Mozart in the Knight Center downtown, he could be found visiting his favorite neighborhood grocery store “Bobo’s” off Northwest 91^st Street and 17^th Avenue, or hanging out with friends in the neighborhood.

Brown Passed away on December 29, 1999, but his music will live forever.