Les Brown

Les Brown married the popular American singer-songwriter and actress, Gladys Maria Knight also known as “Empress of Soul” in 1995. However their marriage didn’t last more than a couple of years and they divorced in 1997.

He has nine children - the eldest is Calvin, followed by Patrick, Ayanna, Ona, Tad, Talia, Sumaya, Serena and lastly John-Leslie Brown.

Leslie Calvin Brown was born a twin along with his brother Wesley on 17th February, 1945 at a dilapidated building in Liberty City, Miami. Leslie and his brother were conceived by an extra marital affair of their biological mother.

Upon conceiving them, their mother quietly visited Florida to give birth in secrecy and within three weeks she put them for adaption. When both brothers were six weeks old, they were adopted by a 38 year old generous spinster, Mamie Brown who worked in a coffee shop.

He attended formal school along with his sibling but on reaching grade five, his teachers considered him a misfit and mentally slow in comparison with other children, as he was more inclined towards seeking attention and was a poor student.

He began to believe the opinions of his teachers and considered himself a slow student, but his adoptive mother thought otherwise.

His mother and one of his high school teachers recognised his potential and owing to their guidance, he was able to muster an ambition for his life. On passing high school, he never stopped learning and continued to educate himself.

His first job was that of a sanitation worker, but his job didn’t satiate his ambition. Hence he turned towards radio broadcasting. With his perseverance to enter the world of a radio jockey he took up odd jobs at a local radio station.

At the radio junction he learnt what was required to fit the job of a radio jockey. On a fortunate occasion, he landed a part-time job at the junction when the station’s jockey landed up drunk for live broadcasting. Thus, eventually the owner allowed him to slip into the shoes of an RJ for a day. Impressed by Brown’s skills he appointed him permanently as an RJ.

After many years of working at the radio junction, he shifted to Ohio in pursuit of a better opportunity in a high ranking radio program, where he eventually became the junction’s manager.

This added to his responsibilities and made him more socially aware. Thus, he took to activism. He began spreading political awareness and fell into various controversies and had to be fired from the radio junction.

While working at the junction he met Mike Williams, the station’s news junction director, who encouraged him to run for a seat in the Ohio State Legislature of the 29th House District.

He held his seat in the legislation for three terms. In the third term he was also designated as the chairman for ‘Human Resources Committee’. However, his mother fell ill around the same time, hence he had to vacate the seat and take care of his ailing adoptive mother.

Nevertheless, he still continued to spread awareness and founded a youth career training program and gradually became a motivational speaker.

He also became an author with his book ‘Live Your Dreams’ which became a bestseller within weeks. His book inspires one to set goals and chase them.

In the middle of the 1980’s he moved to Detroit and rented an office with an attorney. He burnt the midnight oil and worked continuously often sleeping on his bare office floor.