On the last Sunday of every month, Nehemiah Brown delivers an “unforgettable” performance for brunch goers of Summit Grove Lodge in Ridgefield.
On the last Sunday of every month, brunch goers of Summit Grove Lodge in Ridgefield are treated to an atmosphere that is truly “unforgettable.”
In a grand building secured by massive beams adorned with elegant chandeliers and strings of twinkling lights, the smell of bacon, biscuits and coffee mingle. Tables draped in white linen are set for couples, small groups and family-style dining. In the oldest rooms of the lodge, dating back to the 1800s, it is the smooth vocals of Nehemiah Brown that feed the soul of each guest.
Employing his melodic baritone on such old school hits as “When I Fall in Love,” “Moonlight in Vermont” and “Skylark,” one cannot help but think of Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra and the other crooners burned indelibly on the hearts of generations.
For this 64-year-old Vancouver resident, every performance is an ode to a woman who raised, shaped and poured into him.
“I like love songs. The world in itself right now or, to me it’s always been, too rough. It’s too callused in a lot of ways. I grew up under my grandmother and she was laid back and smooth,” Brown said. “Grandmother was one of most popular gospel singers in Mississippi and Arkansas in her day. She taught me that if it don’t come from your heart, don’t let it come out of your mouth.”
He plays to his audience with smiles that come fast and showmanship that is sincere. Between the romantic music and lighthearted melodies, there is no hint of the bumps and bruises he took along the way. Today, Brown performs at 88 senior homes throughout Washington and Oregon, carrying a message of respect, love and appreciation to a segment of the community he believes is almost forgotten.
Brown describes his childhood as loud with a lot of “fussing and swearing.” He had no constant male influence. His dad was never around and his uncles had no interest in kids. In 1970, Brown left home and joined the Navy and his introduction to the “world of men,” as he refers to it, did not go well.
“I started drinking, smoking cigarettes (and) my language got terrible. I traded the friendship of Jesus for the friendship of Jack Daniels, if you will,” Brown said.
As his life continued to spiral downward, he would reach out to his one constant — his grandmother. Through phone calls, she would express her concern and encourage him. She died in 1981 and, two years later, Brown became a Certified Nursing Assistant but he kept each foot firmly planted in two different worlds.
By now he was married and had children but the grip that alcohol had on him became enough of a strain for his wife to scoop their children up and move to Hawaii. It would take several more years before, one day, he finally got tired of shaving in front of the mirror but not being able to “look” at himself.
“He (Jesus) had to take everything out of me,” Brown said. “He had to scrape everything I had created in my spirit, in my mind, to make room for Him. I was a very selfish person. I had people believing I would give you the shirt off my back and I would but I would keep the buttons.”
In 1995, Brown reconciled with his wife, Carol, and their children. He continued to serve the senior community through caregiving with a bit of singing thrown in and, in 2002-2003, he was even a finalist on “Hawaii Stars,”similar to “America’s Got Talent.” Two years later, he suffered a major heart attack which led to the full time ministry that he and Carol launched called God’s Forgiving Grace Ministries.
Taking his grandmother’s words to heart, Brown now speaks at churches, incorporates gospel music in all of his performances and became an ordained minister six years ago.
“She (grandmother) used to say it’s easier to get someone to listen to you if you don’t throw words at them but gently deliver them,” Brown said.
Brown performs gospel hits like “Amazing Grace,” “How Great Thou Art” and “It Is Well With My Soul” with infectious joy and an honesty that comes from a man who has walked his redemption path.
In all the time Brown has invested into the lives of the senior population, he could write a book of wisdom that, regardless of religious orientation, is universal in its logical simplicity.
“My generation is supposed to be the headlight through life for the generation behind it and on and on. You do it by asking the person who’s already been there and, in my case, it’s the seniors I serve. I’ve been married for 42 years because I ask men who’ve been married for 68,” Brown said. “If I’m talking to a group of my generation, I would say be more curious to find out what they know because the game stays the same; people change. Don’t tell a senior that was then, this is now. Back in the days before Jesus Christ there was adultery, child abuse, marital problems (and) money problems. It’s all the same. Is it hard? Sure, but you gotta change yourself. You gotta change your heart. You gotta change the way you respond to things. My marriage would be long gone if I hadn’t been taught to ask the aged.”
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