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Beach Buzz - Special Edition
With
The Soul Dog
Watching what had become a city landmark here in Raleigh, North Carolina being bulldozed away in the name of progress,
to be replaced by new concrete and steel, reminded me of an almost forgotten story from long ago. After doing research as
well as refreshing my own memory, the following is the best that I can tell it.
From Scarlet O'Hara's in Atlanta Underground in the '70's
How many Beach music fans remember Cortez Greer? A dynamic performer, the Chattanooga, TN native
always put on a magnificent show. He fronted and travelled with several different band names during his career, including
the Lifters, Disciples of Sound, New Breeds and Group Therapy. Cortez had some strong players at various times behind him
in the bands - Ronnie Lane, Charlie Pope, Freddie Reynolds, George Cook, Freddie Sanders, Tommy Leopard, Bob Meier and Steve
Childers, to name a few. From all accounts, 'Tez (as they often referred to him) loved all his band members like they were
his own brothers. Greer gave us some killer Beach tunes such as Very Strong On You, The One That Got Away, Beautiful
Things For You and I've Been Waiting. Cortez and his band
filled bookings all the way from Las Vegas (where he was billed as 'Mr. Excitement') to the Carolinas, New York, Ohio, Florida,
overseas and beyond.
Recorded by Cortez Greer & The New Breeds
Written by Roy Smith and Billy Scott
A true people person, Cortez had an effervescent personality that made many friends and never failed to win over an
audience. He seemed to be just as comfortable in a faraway locale sharing the stage with superstars as he was performing at
The Partridge Inn in his adopted residence of Augusta, GA or at nearby Kitten's Korner. He was considered to be one of the
best acts ever to perform at the fabled Atlanta Underground. Revered in his hometown
of Chattanooga, Greer's image is part of what is called the 'Big 9 Legends' mural, prominently displayed alongside
such local music luminaries as Bessie Smith and Ella Fitzgerald sideman Wilfred Middlebrooks. Telling the tragic story of
his all too short life, however, involves a tale of another legendary figure whose life became somewhat mistakenly, as it
turns out, intertwined with Greer's.
The 'House upon the Hill' – Belle Acres in Raleigh NC
The beautiful wooded hilltop that I mentioned above in what is now the center of Raleigh and the grandiose
house (pictured above) that once adorned it are all gone now, razed for new development. The man that once owned the property
was the stuff of folklore. His name was Kidd Brewer, born in Winston
Salem, NC in 1908, one of nine children and the first in his family to go to college. He played multiple sports at Duke University,
including being named All American for his feats on the gridiron. Brewer was the head football coach at Appalachian State
in the '30's, led an undefeated and unscored upon team in 1937, so successful that
the stadium there still bears his name. He later came to Raleigh, became a speculative purchaser of land, with a vision for
buying up parcels that were eventually used to build new highways.
The lower pasture portion of the 115 acres where Brewer had built a showplace of a house in the Capital City was sold
to develop Crabtree Valley Mall, which when completed in 1972 was the largest indoor shopping facility between Washington
and Atlanta. Brewer, who was also an administrative assistant for two U.S. Senators, did some time in the federal joint after
being convicted of bid rigging, but also ran for both lieutenant governor and the top office in the state during his political
career.
Kidd Brewer circa late '30's
The house, built in 1956, and adjoining property (referred to by Brewer as Belle Acres) saw some good times, hosting
lavish parties and events. It was a modern structure for its era, over 8,000 square feet, complete with both an indoor and
adjoining outdoor swimming pool. The towering location, which had an aura of
mystery about it, also saw its share of tragedy. Brewer's son Kidd Jr., a professional diver and movie actor who had starred
in a couple of James Cameron films, reportedly committed suicide while staying
in the adjoining barn/apartment on the property in 1990. Many years earlier, in November of 1976, the great singer
Cortez Greer passed away while staying in Raleigh for a week-long set of nightclub performances. For years afterward, the
rumor persisted and many folks still believe that his passing had occurred at the Kidd Brewer residence.
The official investigative report and newspaper articles surrounding Cortez' death tell a different story. He was in
town for a series of six nightclub performances, staying not at Belle Acres but in the guest house behind the main residence
of another prominent Raleigh family who were longtime friends of Greer's. The family was also a business associate of Kidd
Brewer. The club owner where Cortez was booked later reported that the Monday and Tuesday night performances that he delivered
were indeed strong. On Wednesday, however, Cortez felt very ill, complaining of nausea and dizziness. He was unable to perform
that night, seeing a doctor that afternoon, who treated him for an inner ear infection. The physician was to follow up with
him the next day but he did not show for the appointment. Cortez was found, expired in the guest house, with the temperature
inside reportedly approaching 100 degrees. The death was ruled accidental due to carbon monoxide poisoning from a faulty gas
heater.
Cortez may have very well stayed at the Brewer residence on previous trips to Raleigh. He was certainly well known
in the inner social circles that often was in attendance at events on the hill. Somewhere
along the way, not too long before his passing in 1991, Kidd Brewer decided that the house at Belle Acres would be put to
better use as a commercial entity. It was converted into an upscale restaurant establishment, first called Crossroads and
later It's Prime Only, which occupied the residence for several years. The house was vacated in the late-'90's before burning
to the ground during the middle of the night in November of 2005.
Charlie Pope, Cortez Greer, Ronnie Lane and Freddie Reynolds
in Lake Placid, New York
Cortez
Greer was 36 years old when he passed, right in the prime of his career and on the cusp of major stardom. The story is all
too familiar - great performing artists tragically gone long before their time - Nat King Cole, Sam Cooke, David Ruffin, Jackie Wilson, Buddy Holly, Billy Stewart,
Bobby Darin, Jimi Hendrix, Frankie Lymon, Elvis Presley, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, the list goes on and on. The good they often do die young, and those who knew him remember Cortez Greer
as one of the absolute best!
Artists, DJ’s, Club owners etc. send me your latest news for potential inclusion in Beach Buzz at nealfur@aol.com.
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