Though he never became a star, Oscar Brown, Jr. was of vital historical importance. He's best known for creating new compositions by adding lyrics to such jazz tunes as "Work Song" and "Afro Blue," creating new standards in the process, but he wrote wholly original tunes as well. In effect, Brown was one of the first singer/songwriters in jazz or pop. Prefiguring both the socially conscious R&B of Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield and the proto-rap of Gil Scott-Heron and the Last Poets, Brown was one of the first to address politics and race issues in song. The multi-talented Chicagoan was also active in theater and even on television. He passed away in 2005, leaving behind him a legacy spanning five decades.