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Ruth Brown

A Good Day for the Blues (Bullseye Blues)

In a rare example of old R&B meeting new R&B, Ruth Brown, who is best known for belting ’50s hits like “Mama (He Treats Your Daughter Mean),” ends her new album with R. Kelly’s ’90s smash “I Believe I Can Fly.” Brown proves she can still wrench emotion out of an anthem, and Kelly’s song proves timeless enough to stand up to the singer’s classy interpretation. “A Good Day” is a lot like Brown’s excellent 1997 album, “R+B=Ruth Brown,” leaning more on sassy, rambling story-songs like “H.B.’s Funky Fable” than her classic belting style. The 70-year-old Brown relies these days on humor and character instead of pure power.