The Lord Helped Me Bid Sayonara to My Drug Habit 
By Ron Brown

I grew up in Austin, Texas, and every Sunday my mother and grandmother would send my brother, sister and me on our way to Nineteenth Street Baptist Church. At that time it seemed a long way, but in reality it was only six blocks. I joined church at eight years old and soon after began to sing with the youth choir. Every week I remember the pastor saying, “I was glad when they said unto me let us go in the house of the Lord.” I also remember the choir singing, Leaning on the Everlasting Arm.

When I went to college I began to focus on becoming a successful musician. I wanted to play with the best and travel all over the world. I practiced many hours, played in many bands and little by little I began to get better as a musician. After I graduated from college, I taught school for two years and then I got my first big break - I was called to play with the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Duke Ellington died in 1975 and I joined the band in 1978, which was then led by Mercer Ellington, Duke’s oldest son. This was an incredible opportunity and I was excited. It would be the beginning of many great opportunities. Next came Natalie Cole’s band, then on to Diana Ross, Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder, and many more.

By 1987 I had reached my goal of playing with some of the best artists in the world. At this time I became complacent because I had made it. I was a successful musician. In the early ’80s cocaine was becoming the drug of choice for many musicians. Previously, I had stayed away from that scene because I had worked with Natalie Cole when she was going through her drug problems, and I saw how difficult it was for her. But I had one problem that would eventually trap me: I was a people-pleaser. I needed people to like me. One evening I was hanging out at a party after a concert and someone passed cocaine to me. I wanted to fit in and be cool too, so I tried it. That triggered another problem that I have - an addictive personality. When I tried cocaine the first time I immediately wanted more. When that was gone, I wanted to buy some, and I had never bought cocaine in my life.

In less than a year I was totally addicted and I had to go into a drug treatment center in Las Vegas. I stayed there thirty days, and when I got out I was clean for nine months, but I fell again. In Los Angeles an extremely powerful drug called crack cocaine was getting popular and it was five times more addictive than powder cocaine. When I started using it, sometimes I couldn’t stop for days. This drug had control of me. When I ran out of money I would pawn my saxophone, flute or clarinet. I had a $4,000 flute and the pawnshop gave me $25 for it.

Crack cocaine was cheap and powerfully addictive. I found myself back in a drug treatment center, this time in Los Angeles. When I got out I was clean for about six months before I fell again. I would clean up for awhile and everything would seem to be okay, until I used drugs again. This pattern continued over and over for the next four years.

In 1988 my musician friend, Kirk Whalum, started an all-musician’s Bible study in Pasadena, California. I really respected Kirk as a person and a musician. With strength from the prayers of the group I stayed clean for almost nine months. When I fell again, I could see the disappointment in my friends’ faces. My life began spiraling downward very fast. I would be clean for one month, then two weeks, one week, three days, until I just couldn’t stop. I went on a binge and didn’t return home for three days. My wife was very worried but didn’t know what to do. She often tried to understand what had happened to me - where was the Ron Brown she had married?

With all my heart I wanted to stop, but there was nothing I could do to stop. I tried many ways - drug treatment centers, AA meetings, psychologists - but nothing seemed to work. I continued downward. I loaned my car to a drug dealer I had never seen for $30 worth of drugs. He did not return, so I had to go home without my car.

I decided to go back to the Bible study because I had felt the power of my friends’ prayers before, but I wasn’t willing to change at that time. Kirk welcomed me back and said that he would not give up on me. He taught the Word with passion and conviction. Kirk told the other members that they needed to fast and pray for me, so they did. From those prayers, my spirit became willing to change and my heart was open to Christ. I would fall one last time, and this time I hit bottom. That evening I heard the voice of God saying, “You are my child. Stop what you are doing!” I can remember saying to myself, “Wait a minute! I’m God’s child. I don’t have to suffer like this. I don’t have to bring so much pain on my wife and family; I am God’s child.” On that day, January 15, 1991, I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ and I was set free. Christ did in one day what I was unable to do for years.

In 1989, during a period of sobriety, I had gone to Japan with a Broadway show called “Ain’t Misbehavin’.” We played in Tokyo for four weeks and Osaka two weeks. I was really impressed with Japan, its culture and wonderful people. I began learning Japanese phrases right away and by the time we got to Osaka I could speak a little Japanese. I wanted to start studying Japanese as soon as we returned to America, but I was still struggling with drug addiction. Approximately two weeks after Christ delivered me from drugs, I started studying Japanese at Pasadena City College. On March 13, 1992, I won the Southern California Japanese Teachers Association Speech Contest in Little Tokyo. My prize was a free trip to Japan for ten days, including hotel and airfare. By this time I knew God had given me a gift for the Japanese language, but I didn’t know why. I would go to Japan every year for the next seven years before I’d find the answer. I focused on business, playing jazz clubs and enjoying the hot springs of Japan. Every year my Japanese got better and I got closer to Christ.

In 1993, Kirk Whalum moved to Paris and I began teaching the Bible study. I probably wasn’t the most qualified to teach it, but I was the most committed because the group had helped save my life. I began to grow spiritually and I often used my testimony as an example of God’s love and power. In March 1998, I had lunch in Tokyo with my friend, Megumi Awano. We talked about our goals and plans. She shared her plans of teaching Gospel music all over Japan and I shared a vision I had about playing the Budokan, a huge concert hall in Tokyo. I knew that most jazz musicians play at a club called the Blue Note, but I had a bigger vision. I returned to Los Angeles and in May1998 my friend, Grayland Bembry, invited me to hear him play at Union Church in Little Tokyo. He told me that Pastor Akira Takimoto was coming from Japan and was a powerful speaker. He said, “If you come, you will be blessed.” Pastor Takimoto mentioned at the end of his message that there was going to be a ten-day revival in Japan. Then he said the words I couldn’t believe I was hearing: It was going to be at the Budokan. I knew right away that this was God’s plan and I had to be there.

I took my profile and CD to the church the next day and also played my theme song, I Surrender All. Pastor Takimoto said that the musicians were already chosen, but he would take my information to the committee. I told him that I would pay my own way and play for free because I knew I was supposed to be there. Through God’s grace I received a call and an invitation be a part of the Tokyo Revival, and on September 23,1998, I stood before 9,600 people with my friend Kirk Whalum and played I Surrender All. This was my victory celebration, and when I shared my testimony in Japanese for the first time my ministry was born. This was God’s plan all the time; that’s why He gave me the gift. I made a promise that I would use every gift that God has given me to build His Kingdom and to glorify His name.

O’ taste and see the awesome power our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

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