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Steve Brown first went north to Chicago in 1915 with brother Tom in the first wave of jazz musicians to go to the city.

He was a member of the New Orleans Rhythm Kings in the early 1920s, where his early slap-style string bass playing attracted attention.

Steve Brown was one of the important pioneers of the slap-style.

According to one story, he was the originator of the slap-style when the drummer failed to appear for a show.

Brown threw down his bow and slapped the beat with the strings.

( There are other conflicting claims for originating the style as well, notably by Bill Johnson.