Joan Moore-Mobley and Gina Moore may be musical siblings, but they didn’t originally intend to duet. A 1986 theater audition for Evansville Civic Theatre Director Dick Engbers changed that. Nearing their 40th anniversary of singing R&B, gospel, and rock hits as The Browne Sisters, Gina and Joan pull back the curtain on set lists, stage presence, and sibling harmony.
Tell us about the 1986 audition for the same role in “The 1940s Radio Hour” that created The Browne Sisters.
Gina Moore: When I get there, Joan’s there. I said, “What are you doing here, girl?” And she said, “Uh, what’d you say? Go ahead, girl.” We each did a number: She sang Anita Baker, and I sang Whitney Houston.
Did either of you secretly hope the other wouldn’t get cast?
Joan Moore-Mobley: No. If [Director] Dick [Engbers] had given it to her, I would’ve been happy for her.
Gina: He said, “I don’t want either one of you to not be in this production.” The character in the show was Geneva Lee Browne. She had speaking lines —
Joan: And I know Gina didn’t want that. So he gave that role to me. Gina made up a role —
Gina: I used my middle name, Noreen, so I was Noreen Marie Browne. And there you have the Browne Sisters. Then, he had to think of a song we both could do as sisters, and that’s where “Ain’t Misbehavin’” came in. That was our debut song and, as they said, it brought down the house.
Describe your sister in three words.
Gina: What’s a good word for you?
Joan: You tell me!
Gina: Mysterious, quiet, smart.
Joan: Uninhibited, free bird, giving.
Do The Browne Sisters have a stage persona different from Gina and Joan?
Joan: I kick it up a notch —
Gina: Yeah, she does, but I’m always crazy.
Joan: But the audience has a lot to do with that. We feed off the audience.
Do you style yourselves?
Gina: Oh yes, absolutely. We always wear black. One time, we were at a choir gig, and we walked out of the bedroom in the same polka dot dress. It was too late to change, so we walked on stage in matching dresses.
Joan: Like my sister said, I always wore the church clothes. [laughs]
Gina: Yeah, she was very matronly sometimes on stage! Like, girl, what are you wearing? You got on white hose …
Joan: Look, you came to hear my voice. Nothing else.
Gina: … white shoes. And I’m coming out dressed scandalous.
Who talks more between songs?
[They point at each other]
Gina: That was funny! I know she’s pointing toward me —
Joan: Oh, yeah —
Gina: But she does way more talking than I do.
Who’s more likely to forget lyrics?
Joan: You know what, the audience doesn’t know that you did. And I am the ad lib queen.
Gina: When I forget the words, I start laughing. And I’m done. If I start laughing, you can’t do anything else with me. And I’m the one who says, “Girl, get on your note.” I’m very bossy.
What’s your favorite song to sing together?
Joan: “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door.”
Gina: We go into “Amazing Grace” on that song. We do a lot of mixing of songs. We learned that onstage. We would take “Stand By Me” into “Every Breath You Take.” We mix “Proud Mary” with “Get Ready.” The band just has to keep up.
What is your most-requested song?
Gina: R-E-S-P-E-C-T! Find out what it means to me!
What’s one piece of music you still want to perform?
Joan: Maybe opera. I love Broadway. (Maybe) that song from “Les Misérables” called “Bring Him Home.”
Finish this sentence: “If people remember one thing about The Browne Sisters, I hope it’s …”
Joan: Family and togetherness through music. We’re living in a world today that’s so full of hatred, which is so hard to believe. It feels like we’re going back to a time when, for African Americans, was not good. But when music is played, we come together. We forget about the hatred, and we pour on the love.
Run and Tell That
Performing for four decades produces entertaining stories. In summer 1991, Gina Moore and Joan Moore-Mobley brushed shoulders with famous actors in town to film “A League of Their Own.” “Joan and I sang every Sunday at Marina Pointe, and they would come after rehearsal and hang out with us and dance,” Gina says. That led to the siblings performing at the film’s wrap party. “Everyone was there,” Gina recalls. “I spoke to Tom Hanks. Rosie O’Donnell and Lori Petty danced in front of us.” The Browne Sisters also had a memorable run-in with Madonna. “She said, ‘Put my tape in. Tell them sisters to quit singing.’ And we were like, ‘Oh no, sister, you messed with the wrong sisters here,’” Gina remembers. “We said, ‘No, we’re singing, Madonna.’ We sent her on her way.”
