{"@context":"http://iiif.io/api/presentation/3/context.json","id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/iiif/b853f4nc52/manifest","type":"Manifest","label":{"en":["Ronnie Brown Royalette interview and photographs, circa 1990"]},"logo":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/053/original/cropped-marmia-logo-copy1.png?1586173104","metadata":[{"label":{"en":["Source Metadata URI"]},"value":{"en":["https://marmia.libraryhost.com/repositories/2/archival_objects/25702"]}},{"label":{"en":["Date"]},"value":{"en":["circa 1990 (Creation)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Description"]},"value":{"en":["Be advised that this video may contain sensitive, triggering, and offensive language and content. (Content warning)","Digitized with funding provided by the Council on Library and Information Resources' \"Digitizing Hidden Special Collections and Archives: Amplifying Unheard Voices\" grant program. (Funding note)","Singer and musician, Veronica \"Roni\" Brown, discusses performing with the Royalettes. (Scope and Content Note)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Format"]},"value":{"en":["1 Betacam"]}},{"label":{"en":["Identifier"]},"value":{"en":["WJZ-FLDTP-005-016 (Identifier)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Series Title"]},"value":{"en":["Field Tapes"]}}],"summary":{"en":["Be advised that this video may contain sensitive, triggering, and offensive language and content.","Digitized with funding provided by the Council on Library and Information Resources' \"Digitizing Hidden Special Collections and Archives: Amplifying Unheard Voices\" grant program.","Singer and musician, Veronica \"Roni\" Brown, discusses performing with the Royalettes."]},"provider":[{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/aboutus","type":"Agent","label":{"en":["MARMIA"]},"homepage":[{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/","type":"Text","label":{"en":["MARMIA"]},"format":"text/html"}],"logo":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/053/original/cropped-marmia-logo-copy1.png?1586173104","type":"Image"}]}],"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/collection_resource_files/thumbnails/000/253/867/small/thumbnail_253867_1728347671.jpg?1728347673","type":"Image","format":"image/jpeg"}],"items":[{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136855/file/253867","type":"Canvas","label":{"en":["Media File 1 of 1 - open-uri20250109-552-lfze66.mp4"]},"duration":1174.801,"width":640,"height":360,"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/collection_resource_files/thumbnails/000/253/867/small/thumbnail_253867_1728347671.jpg?1728347673","type":"Image","format":"image/jpeg"}],"items":[{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136855/file/253867/content/1","type":"AnnotationPage","items":[{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136855/file/253867/content/1/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"painting","body":{"id":"https://aviary-p-marmia.s3.wasabisys.com/collection_resource_files/resource_files/000/253/867/original/open-uri20250109-552-lfze66.mp4?1736436688","type":"Video","format":"video/mp4","duration":1174.801,"width":640,"height":360},"target":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136855/file/253867","metadata":[]}]}],"annotations":[{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136855/file/253867/transcript/71657","type":"AnnotationPage","label":{"en":["AUTO_TRINT_WJZ-FLDTP-005-016_ffv1.mp4 [Transcript]"]},"items":[{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136855/file/253867/transcript/71657/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"But the pictures of you. Okay. Got plenty of pictures of. My. Now. How do you prefer to be addressed? Veronica or Ronnie? Ronnie. And that's Irwin and I. And I are. And I. And your last name? Brown. Is that what you. Were you known by Ronnie Brown back then? Yes. My mother always called me Ronnie. She never called me Veronica. She always said Ronnie. But you want a boy, All right. Sometimes I think so. I was the oldest, so I think they wanted the boy first. You been singing for how long? Well, I can remember back when I was and as far back as in kindergarten, when I was in a show and the kindergarten. And my mother put me on the stage and I sang. I had this powerful voice, you know, big voice. And it started back then. So. So that goes back, back to be argued here in terms of how you were born and raised, where right here in Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland. And grew up in what neighborhood? The west side was side of Baltimore in the Edmundston Gainesville area. One day, Buddy Deane had a contest. You and three other girls from the area got together for the heck of it, I guess, Well, no. There were. The two sisters and I was a cousin to the sisters and the girlfriend. And we always sang together just around town. And we started us singing at talent shows, benefits just to hone our craft, you know? Did you ever hope to become professional, Dan, When you were all singing together, did you think you were good enough to be to get paid for what you were doing? Well, yeah, we hoped to to get to that that level. And yeah, we had all the confidence in the world.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136855/file/253867#t=6.63,169.16"},{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136855/file/253867/transcript/71657/annotation/2","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"So you worked hard and rehearsed? We worked hard. We practiced in practice and practice. And when that contest came up, up to Channel 13 with Buddy Deen, you all gave it a shot, gave it a shot because it was just it was a natural for us. It was a thousand kids went about. I know we didn't realize the magnitude because financially they just weren't get it. We didn't realize the magnitude of the. Let me start over. There were a thousand kids. There were a thousand kids that tried out for that contest. Yes. As I understand it, it was like 1500 people all over the Pennsylvania, Baltimore, Virginia, Washington area. And we we came out the winner. It was very exciting. I mean, it went it came down to six finalists. Yeah, I think so. And that day they said the royal touch. And by the look on your faces. All right. And by the look on your faces, I'm sure you all hoped you won, but you looked surprised. Genuinely. Especially. You know me. Why me? I don't know. You really did. On that one picture, you look like. Wow. Is that happening? Yeah. I was really shocked. I couldn't believe it. I mean, we've always thought we might place. But to win overall, I never thought that that was, like, too true. Got your recording contract. Got us a recording contract. That was very exciting. You did real well. We did very well. We were very happy. It was a very magical time for us. Very magical. We were young, very impressionable. We we had all the confidence in the world. We were eventually performing with the greats of those days back in the Motown era. Otis Redding. Pay the bill and the blue bills.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136855/file/253867#t=170.54,307.01"},{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136855/file/253867/transcript/71657/annotation/3","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"So you got a chance to do a lot of traveling, a lot of traveling. You made some good money. We did a lot of traveling. You may have another one of them stories where the kids you got you got ripped off. I don't know. I wouldn't say we got ripped off. I think we didn't know what was involved as far as financially involved. We didn't we didn't know how financially involved it was as compared to today. You know, back then we had a larger concept. We had people writing music for us. We had to take the music and sheet music that cost money. We had to stay in nice places that cost money, but those things were paid for out of our that the the record company and our company picked all those things up. They picked up all of our travel expenses. So they spent money on us, you know. But you lived well, we lived well. Learned a lot of things got exposed to a lot of things. And, you know, as a result, you know, you take those things with you. Did you enjoy it? I enjoyed it very much. Very much. And then the contract time came up and whatnot. And they it was not renewed for several reasons, you know, but they didn't pick it up. And so there we were out of a contract. And left to go and choose other options if we wanted to. But, like I say, we, you know, we just didn't know the ins and outs of music at the time as far as management. And so we were left pretty much on our own after that. And after that we just like kind of did things around town locally. And you went your separate went separate ways and.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136855/file/253867#t=307.94,436.31"},{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136855/file/253867/transcript/71657/annotation/4","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Yeah. Now, you asking me? I don't know. I mean, my wife comes on with hairdos. I think you go out a long time ago. Keep your mouth shut. I got the hair. You about 1970, 71, you all broke up? Yeah, the late 60s. Early 70s. Yes. And we were finally petered out. Couldn't go any further with just our records and nobody to pick up an option on us. So we found ourselves out of out of work. So you went your separate ways. We went our separate ways. And then, you know, I found I had to support myself. So I sang locally with groups around the Baltimore area during a group called Diane and The Raid The Raven at the time. The Raven Arts. Yeah, I sang on and off with them, I know, for about 15 to 20 years. And did they have any hitch? Well, I believe they had a few rockets before I came. This thing wasn't. They had several girls. Singing with them, you know, coming in and out of the group, but not while I was with them. They didn't have any hits. So you you've you work with the so the Diane and the Raven that's on and off for 15 years or so. So you work with a group Monopoly novelty. We were the house band at the Capricorn for a couple of years up there. That was exciting. You were at the Apollo with Apollo? When I was with the Royals. We played Apollo, I guess about five times and headlined. Ladies and gentlemen, the Royal. Was very exciting. You know, you can we have so much confidence and we felt that we were in the right place. Competing. Never face us. We're just too young to even know the difference.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136855/file/253867#t=440.84,566.09"},{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136855/file/253867/transcript/71657/annotation/5","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Well, the royal that you ever get back together as a group? I don't think so. I really don't. Why? Well, it's like, you know, I've done that. It's been done. You can't resurrect that. But it's being done again. You know, there are groups like the Van Dike Show had gotten together after all these years, and they are knocking them dead. Yeah. But they're what you call a musicians. They are musicians. We are singers. Singers are not the same, you know. Whereas musicians, they they've got their music. They've got their instruments. Singers You have to be a little more committed. I think you have to make a commitment to sing and just sing. I'm the kind of person I sing and it's just one part of me. You know, I feel like I can do other things, But just to pursue that a moment. Do you realize how many Baltimoreans my age and your age and give or take ten years would just. Absolutely. Well, they would they would buy tickets to come see you for no doubt in my mind. Do you realize? Yeah, I'm sure they would. I would buy a ticket because they are all let's come back. I would buy a ticket. It was exciting. And it was one of the better groups coming out of Baltimore back in those days. Kind of like maybe broke the ground. So knowing that, doesn't that give you a little bit of just I mean, if you all got it, the two girls that are out of town right now came to town for the 4th of July and somebody said, Hey, Ronnie, let's get together and sing a couple. And you said, we'll get that guy from Channel 13 down here. And I put it on the air.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136855/file/253867#t=567.62,686.63"},{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136855/file/253867/transcript/71657/annotation/6","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"And there was and everybody wanted to see it. Don't you think you could at least put on one performance for your fans that are absolutely still around here? Well, if if everyone had a mind to do it, I would be inclined to do it, too. But it takes an awful lot. You can't just get people together after all these years and just start singing and it's kind of like impossible. You would have to rehearse that, you know, get the right musicians. Well, I asked Sheila, would it take a miracle? I think so. Most definitely. It would take a miracle. Well, you did that once before. All right. Let's get on you now for a moment or two. You. You have a regular job, but you still saying whenever you get a chance. Well, I did for a while until I was disenchanted with singing because it takes a lot out of you. I'm not as young as I used to be. Singing takes a lot out of you. You have to worry about traveling. And most times, I'm always the only female in groups. And so I'm by myself a lot. And. Therefore, it's not very I'm not enchanted with it as much as I used to be. Like I said, I'm not as young as I used to be. But you still sing whenever you get a chance. You took a cruise last summer and you you wound up on the air. That was something to do. It was it was great, great fun. I do it for fun. And just because it's my route, this is where I come from. You know, it's one of the many things I like to do. And when you heard that applause, great. It was the best.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136855/file/253867#t=686.93,801.37"},{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136855/file/253867/transcript/71657/annotation/7","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"The best. You can never top that. You're still a good voice. Yeah. You know that? Yeah, I try. I try. But, I mean, that was a good performance. I don't know if you had got a lot of rehearsals in on that thing or whether you just went up there and start belting away, but it was a good performance. So isn't it sort of like I mean, you say it, it takes a lot. It takes a lot. It takes a lot. Isn't it sort of though, like riding a bicycle? Once you get that, once you learn the basics, it's just a question of you never forget, never forget. And it's not that you want to forget, but some other things come in your life that takes precedence. And it's like push to the back, but it resurface from time to time. So maybe the royal edge can resurface in it. Yeah, sure. Anything can happen. What's down the road for you? Well. Right now. I've just gotten my daughter. She's my child. She's just graduated from college and I just got her out of college. And so I'm just glad she's done. And I say when she's finished, I can just get back to maybe am I guess I should spend more time with music now. You know, at this time I have the time now. But, you know, keep supporting myself and work and like anybody else, you've raised your daughter. Are you a single parent? I'm a single parent. Okay. You've raised your daughter. Now you got some time for yourself. So now what? I don't know. I really don't. Every once in a while, you know, I keep up with my hobbies like I used to write. So I used to sew a lot of the outfits that I used to sing in.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136855/file/253867#t=802.27,921.55"},{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136855/file/253867/transcript/71657/annotation/8","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"I workout at the gym, so I keep in shape. I once in a while played try to play the piano and try to keep my hand playing the piano. You play good? Good piano. No, but that doesn't stop me from trying. Well, it's not going to. I'm not going to say that you're going to make that that your future is going to have the piano in it. But. But maybe you can close this piece out with a little piano music. What do you think? I'll give it a try. To respond to your financial obligations for your daughter are over now. So you have some time for yourself. The resources now that you have, you can put on yourself. What is your fantasy now at this at this point in your life? I mean, if you had a chance to do anything you wanted, what would you do? Well, I probably would want to sing and accompany myself. On the piano. Be proficient enough to do that just for maybe friends and family. Maybe a couple of appearances headline somewhere, not headline and just just for fun. You know, I don't think you can support me. Not at this time. But high school that you go to Amazon. And the chocolate. God bless you. You. Natchez Avenue tonight. Now what? That was last year. We went back to visit. Everybody says you look the same. You look the same. Jerry Butler, Gladys Knight and the Pips, as well as that was the grand finale at the Apollo that when the 1960. Seven, 1967. So that's junior Walker with the Royal Arch in the background.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136855/file/253867#t=922.63,1151.18"}]},{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136855/file/253867/transcript/71657","type":"AnnotationPage","label":{"en":["English [Transcript]"]},"items":[{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136855/file/253867/transcript/71657/annotation/9","type":"Annotation","motivation":"subtitling","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/file_transcripts/associated_files/000/071/657/original/trint_WJZ-FLDTP-005-016_ffv1_transcript.vtt?1728353198","format":"text/vtt","language":"en"},"target":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/file_transcripts/associated_files/000/071/657/original/trint_WJZ-FLDTP-005-016_ffv1_transcript.vtt?1728353198"}]}]}]}