REMEMBERING ROSA
As some of you know, our beloved Rosa Lee Brooks passed away on 12/28/2022.
She was the Hendrix community’s “Golden Rose” and was known for her warm and welcoming demeanor to music fans. Brooks hosted many musical performances with anybody who wanted to play and opened her home for frequent storytelling and jam sessions.
𝑴𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒄 𝒇𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒍 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒂 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏.
Early on, she aspired to be an R&B singer. Brooks contacted Etta James at a young age, a meeting that likely inspired her lifetime love of singing the blues. In addition, Johnny “Guitar” Watson mentored her as a teenager. Shortly after high school, Brooks was
part of a female singing group called The Ribbons.
In the mid-sixties, she developed a romantic relationship with an unknown Jimi Hendrix, whom she met at the California Club in Los Angeles while working as a go-go dancer.
“𝗪𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗝𝗶𝗺𝗺𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗼𝘀𝗲,” 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱.
Their brief romance led to a recording session in a makeshift studio located in a garage at the home of producer Billy Revis. “My Diary” and “Utee” were recorded in two hours. Arthur Lee, founder of the seminal ’60s band Love, and the rhythm section from Major Lance’s band support Brooks and Hendrix on these recordings. Later, in 2010, both songs appeared on the posthumous Hendrix compilation West Coast Seattle Boy.
While Hendrix left Los Angeles before the single was released, Brooks continued pursuing music. In 1966, she recorded “They’re Coming To Take Me Away” and “I’m Moaning.” Soul City Records put out both songs.
Brooks contributed four songs to the Love Somebody album by Beat Blue in later years. In addition, she appeared on the tv series Reputations in 1999 for the episode titled “Jimi Hendrix: The Man They Made God.”
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When social media started gaining popularity, Brooks utilized early platforms such as Myspace to connect with fans worldwide. Such interaction led to a collaboration with Joseph Chambers of the Chambers Brothers.
Her presence on Facebook was immense as she led several pages and groups, all of which displayed her undying love for music.
She is a Living Legends inductee at City Hall in Los Angeles and continued to perform locally and at her residence. Numerous musicians of varying backgrounds performed with Brooks, often accompanied by Gregg Wright, who played guitar for the late Michael Jackson.
Additionally, Brooks contributed to numerous radio shows, podcasts, and internet forums regarding her rich musical history. In 2012, she appeared on Plain Talk’s Jimi Hendrix: Black Legacy Series to discuss her relationship with the legendary guitarist.
A few years later, her recordings were honored with a performance at the Apollo Theater as part of the Hendrix in Harlem tribute. In addition, Brooks is the feature of a 75-minute documentary by filmmaker Kevin Grace, titled Rosa Lee Brooks: Golden Rose. This casual sit-down recollection discusses her life and connection to Hendrix.
She took every opportunity to share her story and showed appreciation to those who knew and loved her. As a result, many of her fans felt like part of her family. In a recent interview with With the Power of Soul’s administrator, Brooks praised our efforts to credit those whose stories are often left untold.
“I thank you for keeping the spirit alive,” she stated.
The story of Rosa Lee Brooks will echo throughout the annals of music history for years to come.
𝓕𝓵𝔂 𝓸𝓷, 𝓖𝓸𝓵𝓭𝓮𝓷 𝓡𝓸𝓼𝓮, 𝓯𝓵𝔂…
1Pat Chaney
