THE FIVE BROWNS HAVE WOWED AUDIENCES IN VENUES AND ON TV
SHOWS ALL OVER THE WORLD.
THE PIANO PLAYING SIBLINGS HAVE
HAD ENORMOUS SUCCESS WITH THREE
NUMBER ONE ALBUMS.
THEY WERE KEEPING A DARK FAMILY
SECRET THAT WOULD CHANGE THEIR
FAMILY AND THEIR OWN LIVES
FOREVER.
FOREVER. WATCH.
WATCH. ♪
♪ THE FIVE SKIBLIBLINGS WERE RAISE
A MORMON HOUSEHOLD.
THEIR CHILD HOODS WERE AROUND
REHEARSAL SCHEDULES.
REHEARSAL SCHEDULES. >> WE REALIZED THERE WASN’T
ENOUGH TIME FOR US TO PLAY AND
ENJOY LIFE AND BE KIDS,
ULTIMATELY WE ENDED UP BEING
HOME SCHOOLED AND IT ALLOWED US
TO PRACTICE FIVE HOURS A DAY OR
WHATEVER IT TOOK.
>> Reporter: THE HARD WORK PAID
OFF AND ALL FIVE OF THEM MADE IT
INTO THE ELITE JULLIARD SCHOOL.
BY THE EARLY 2000S THEY WERE
RACING UP THE CLASSICAL MUSIC
CHARTS TAKING THE WORLD BY
STORM.
STORM. PERFORMING, TOURING AND GAINING
INTERNATIONAL FAME.
INTERNATIONAL FAME. >> Reporter: MY PARENTS, I THINK
THEY SAW AN OPPORTUNITY NOT ONLY
FOR THEIR CHILDREN BUT FOR
THEMSELVES.
THEMSELVES. >> Reporter: WHILE THEY WERE
OFTEN SMILING ON STAGE, THE FIVE
BROWNS SAY IT WAS A DIFFERENT
STORY BEHIND THE SCENES.
IN THE FALL OF 2007, DESIREE AND
DEANDRA DISCOVERED THEY SHARED A
DARK SECRET THAT WOULD SHATTER
THEIR WORLD.
THEIR WORLD. >> WE REALIZED WE HAD BOTH BEEN
SEXUALLY ABUSED BY MY FATHER AND
HAD NEVER TOLD A SOUL ABOUT IT.
WE SUSPECTED IF WE HAD BEEN
ABUSED OUR YOUNGER SISTER HAD
ALSO AND WE WERE CORRECT WHEN WE
APPROACHED HER THE NEXT DAY.
THE SISTERS SAY THEY SUFFERED
YEARS OF SEXUAL ABUSE AT THE
HANDS OF THEIR OWN FATHER AND
MANAGER KEITH BROWN.
>> THERE WERE THOUSANDS OF
INSTANCES OF ABUSE.
>> Reporter: BUT THEY DID NOT
IMMEDIATELY GO TO AUTHORITIES.
INSTEAD THEY HELD ONTO HOPE OF
SOMEHOW REPAIRING THEIR FAMILY.
>> WE DID EVERYTHING THAT WE
COULD THINK OF, THE FIVE OF US,
TO KEEP OUR FAMILY TOGETHER.
>> I THOUGHT MAYBE IF HE COULD
OWN WHAT HE DID AND BE REALLY,
REALLY SORRY ABOUT IT THAT
SOMEHOW THAT WOULD MAKE THINGS A
LITTLE BIT BETTER.
>> Reporter: IT WASN’T UNTIL A
FEW YEARS LATER WHEN THE FIVE
BROWNS REALIZED THEIR FATHER WAS
NOW MANAGING OTHER TEENAGE GIRLS
THAT THEY WENT TO POLICE.
>> IT JUST CLARIFIED FOR ALL OF
US THAT THIS MAN CARES FOR
NOBODY BUT HIMSELF.
IT’S HARD TO ACCEPT THE FACT
THAT YOU CAN’T CHANGE THE PAST,
BUT BEING AN OLDER SISTER, IT’S
SO HARD NOT TO THINK MAYBE I
COULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING.
>> NOW THE SIBLINGS ARE TELLING
THEIR NEW STORY IN "THE FIVE
BROWNS DIGGING THROUGH THE
DARKNESS "PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME
THREE OF THEM, DESIREE, DEANDRA
AND GREGORY BROWN.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
SO LET’S JUST START BEFORE WE
GET TO THE DARKNESS, LET’S START
WITH YOUR CHILDHOOD, BECAUSE THE
DOCUMENTARY DOES A GOOD JOB OF
LAYING OUT THE SACRIFICE YOU
MADE.
MADE. UP AT ONE TIME IN THE MORNING
AND WALK US THROUGH A SCHEDULE
ON HOW YOU GOT SO GREAT AT THE
PIANO.
PIANO. >> WHEN WE WERE YOUNGER
CHILDREN, WE WERE GETTING UP
REALLY EARLY, 4: 30, 5:00
MORNING.
MORNING. PRACTICING AND GOING TO SCHOOL
AND PRACTICING.
AND PRACTICING. AS WE GOT OLDER AND TEENAGERING
WE STARTED DOING HOME SCHOOLING.
THERE WAS A LOT OF PRACTICE,
MANY HOURS A DAY, AND THAT’S
KIND OF HOW WE ENDED UP GOING TO
MUSIC SCHOOL.
MUSIC SCHOOL. >> ALL FIVE OF YOU GOT INTO
JULLIARD.
JULLIARD. THE ONLY FAMILY FOR WHOM THAT’S
HAPPENED.
HAPPENED. AND THEN YOU REALIZE OKAY, THIS
ACTUALLY COULD BECOME A FAMILY
BUSINESS, YOUR DAD REALIZES THIS
COULD BE A LUCRATIVE FAMILY
BUSINESS, AND FUJ SUCCESS
FOLLOWS.
FOLLOWS. I WAS CURIOUS, IS THERE ONE OF
YOU WHO IS A STANDOUT?
OR NO?
OR NO? IS IT PRETTY EVE SNN.
>> I THINK IT’S PRETTY EVEN.
WE ALL GOT SSHLESSENTIALLY THE E
SAME TRAINING.
SAME TRAINING. WE HAVE AFTER CONCERTS PEOPLE
SAYING THIS ONE WAS MY FAVORITE.
IT CHANGES ALL THE TIME.
>> IT’S GREAT.
THEY PUT THE PIANOS TOGETHER AND
THEY PLAY.
THEY PLAY. YOU KNOW HOW PUPPIES ARE ALL
OVER EACH OTHER.
THAT’S HOW YOUR PIANOS ARE.
THEY’RE SNUGGLED TOGETHER AND
THERE ARE BEAUTIFUL SIBLINGS
MAKING BEAUTIFUL MUSIC TOGETHER.
AND THERE WAS A NOT SO BEAUTIFUL
SECRET THAT WAS HAPPENING.
CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE TRIP TO
JAPAN?
JAPAN? THAT’S WHERE THE TWO OF YOU --
YOU’RE THE TWO OLDER SISTERS AND
MELODY IS THE YOUNGEST.
SHE’S NOT HERE.
YOU HAVE THIS CONVERSATION.
YOU GREW UP SLEEPING IN THE SAME
ROOM AND WHAT HAPPENED IN JAPAN?
>> WELL, JAPAN WAS A PERIOD
WHERE THERE WAS JUST A LOT OF
INTERNAL STRUGGLES GOING ON WITH
OUR FATHER MANAGING US AND THE
SCHEDULING AND US FEELING LIKE
WE DIDN’T HAVE A VOICE OR SAY IN
OUR CAREERS AND WHO WE WERE.
AND SO SHORTLY AFTER THAT TOUR
DESIREE AND I WERE SHARING A
HOTEL ROOM, AND WE JUST WERE
KIND OF TALKING ABOUT THIS
INTERNAL STRUGGLE OF WHAT WAS
HAPPENING WITHIN OUR FAMILY, AND
SHE POINT-BLANK ASKED ME IF
THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT I
HADN’T HAD A CHANCE TO TALK
ABOUT BEFORE, AND AT FIRST I
JUST KIND OF DISCARDED IT LIKE
MANY ABUSE SURVIVORS DO.
THEY’RE LIKE OH, NO, EVERYTHING
IS FINE AND TRY TO GLOSS OVER
IT.
IT. BUT TO HER CREDIT, SHE KEPT
ASKING.
ASKING. SHE ASKED SEVERAL TIMES UNTIL I
FINALLY WAS BRAVE ENOUGH TO SAY
THE WORDS I’M A SEXUAL ABUSE
SURVIVOR AT THE HANDS OF OUR
FATHER, AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE
HARDEST THINGS TO SAY, BUT NOW I
LOOK AT IT, AND I’M PROUD TO SAY
THAT I’VE LIVED THROUGH
DIFFICULT THINGS AND I’M STILL
HERE.
HERE. WE’RE STILL PERFORMING.
>> ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
I’M SURE IN THAT MOMENT NOT
PICTURING A TRIUMPHANT MOMENT AT
THE END LIKE THIS.
>> NO.
>> NO. >> IT’S JUST THIS SECRET YOU’VE
BEEN SHAMED OVER AND TAUGHT TO
KEEP PRIVATE.
KEEP PRIVATE. SO THEN YOU STARTED TALKING.
AND THINGS WENT FROM THERE.
AND WHEN WE COME BACK, WE’LL
TALK ABOUT HOW THEY TRIED TO
>>> WE’RE BACK NOW WITH THREE OF THE FIVE BROWNS, THE MUSICAL
GROUP OF SIBLINGS WHO FOR A LONG
TIME HID A DARK FAMILY SECRET.
>> YOU BOTH CON FEZFESS TO ONE
ANOTHER WHAT YOUR FATHER HAD
BEEN DOING AND DESCRIBE IT IN
THE DOCUMENTARY AS THOUSANDS OF
INSTANCES OF ABUSE.
YOU GO TO MELODY AND WHAT
HAPPENS?
HAPPENS? >> WE SUSPECTED IF THE TWO OF US
HAD FALLEN VICTIM TO HIM, THAT
SHE MUST HAVE AS WELL.
AND WE WERE CORRECT.
AND WE TRIED FOR MONTHS AND
MONTHS AFTER THE FACT TO SEE IF
THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT WE
COULD HANG ONTO IN THIS
RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM AND IF
THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT COULD
OUTLAST THIS.
OUTLAST THIS. EVENTUALLY OVER YEARS REALLY,
EACH OF US CAME TO THE
CONCLUSION ON OUR OWN THAT IT
WAS A TOXIC RELATIONSHIP THAT WE
HAD TO FOR THE SAKE OF OURSELVES
AND OUR OWN HEALING, OUR OWN
LITTLE FAMILIES, THAT WE HAD TO
SET THAT ASIDE AND FOCUS ON
OURSELVES.
OURSELVES. >> YOU DID CONFRONT HIM, AND
YOUR MOM LISA.
AND HE ADMITTED IT.
RIGHT?
RIGHT? >> OH, YEAH.
>> HE DIDN’T DENY IT IN FRONT OF
YOUR MOTHER?
YOUR MOTHER? >> NO, HE DIDN’T.
AND YET STILL, SHE STOOD BY HIM.
>> SHE HAS STOOD BY HIM, WHICH,
ONCE WE FOUND OUT FROM
PROSECUTORS THAT THIS IS
ACTUALLY MORE TYPICAL FOR
FAMILIES TO BE DIVIDED AND FOR
THE WIFE TO STAY WITH THE
HUSBAND, AND THAT HAS HAPPENED
IN OUR CASE AS WELL.
>> IT HAD TO FEEL LIKE ANOTHER
BETRAYAL ON SOME LEVEL.
NO?
NO? >> IT DID.
I THINK FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY
LIFE, I THOUGHT THIS IS GOING TO
BE IT.
BE IT. THIS IS GOING TO BE THE TIME
THAT I HAVE MY MOM’S SUPPORT,
THAT I FEEL IT NO MATTER WHAT,
AND SO IT WAS A REALLY BIG
REALIZATION SO REALIZE THAT I
NEEDED TO GO IT ALONE WITHOUT
HER, BUT STILL WITH THE SUPPORT
OF EACH OTHER AND OUR SPOUSES.
I KNEW THAT I WOULD BE OKAY.
>> AND ALSO YOUR BROTHERS.
GREGORY, YOU DID NOT SUFFER
ABUSE.
ABUSE. RIGHT?
RIGHT? >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. >> ALTHOUGH YOUR YOUNGER BROTHER
RYAN TALKS ABOUT YOUR MOTHER’S
PHYSICAL ABUSE OF HIM IN THE
PIANO LESSONS.
PIANO LESSONS. >> HE DOES DISCUSS THAT IN THE
FILM A LITTLE BIT, YES.
>> BUT WAS THERE A MOMENT WHERE
YOU HESITATED?
YOU HESITATED? I MEAN, YOU WERE SORT OF PLACED
IN A POSITION OF HAVING TO
CHOOSE BETWEEN YOUR SISTERS AND
PARENTS.
PARENTS. >> YEAH.
>> YEAH. IT’S KIND OF A COMPLICATED
POSITION TO BE IN.
AND THERE’S KIND OF A LOT OF
MENTAL INTERNAL CONFLICT.
OBVIOUSLY IT’S LIKE VERY CLEAR
WHAT’S RIGHT AND WRONG.
RIGHT?
RIGHT? WITH THE SITUATION.
BUT THE RELATIONSHIPS THEMSELVES
ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE
COMPLICATED THAN THAT.
AND SO I DID AS BEST I COULD TO
BE THERE FOR MY SISTERS WHILE
ALSO TRYING TO TALK SOME SENSE
INTO MY FATHER.
IT DIDN’T GO QUITE AS WELL AS I
HAD HOPED.
HAD HOPED. BUT YEAH, I MEAN, IT’S -- I
THINK THERE’S AN OBLIGATION FOR
THOSE OF US WHO HAVE NOT
SUFFERED ABUSE WHO ARE CLOSE
WITH SOMEBODY WHO HAS TO FIRST
LISTEN AND BELIEVE WHAT THEY’RE
SAYING.
SAYING. AND SECONDLY, BE THERE BEHIND
THE SCENES FOR THEM IN WHATEVER
WAY YOU CAN BE.
>> THEY ULTIMATELY WENT TO THE
POLICE.
POLICE. AND THE CATALYST FOR THAT WAS
WHAT?
WHAT? >> WE FOUND OUT THAT HE WAS
BEGINNING TO MANAGE OTHER YOUNG
GIRLS, AND -- WHICH TOTALLY WENT
AGAINST THE THINGS THAT HE HAD
BEEN TELLING US, YOU KNOW,
ADMITTING IT WAS WRONG, AND WE
TOLD HIM WE DIDN’T WANT HIM TO
WORK WITH OTHER YOUNG WOMEN.
WHEN WE FOUND THAT OUT, WE
REALIZED WE COULDN’T TRUST HIM.
>> THIS WASN’T JUST A FAMILY
ISSUE ANYMORE.
ISSUE ANYMORE. >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. WE DIDN’T WANT TO LOOK BACK
YEARS LATER AND REGRET SOMEBODY
ELSE BEING ABUSED WHEN WE COULD
HAVE COME FORWARD.
>> THAT TAKES A LOT OF GUTS TO
PICK UP THAT PHONE AND CALL THE
COPS WHICH THEY DID.
THEY DID IT.
AND WE’LL TELL YOU THE UPDATE ON
THEIR FATHER AND ON HOW THE
>>> WE’RE BACK WITH THE BRAVE AND TALENTED SIBLINGS WITH THE
FIVE BROWNS.
FIVE BROWNS. WE HAVE THREE OF THE CHILDREN
HERE TODAY.
HERE TODAY. ULTIMATELY THE POLICE STEPPED IN
AND YOUR FATHER PLEADED GUILTY.
AND TELL US WHERE HE IS NOW.
>> WELL, HE’S IN PRISON RIGHT
NOW.
NOW. >> FOR HOW LONG?
>> HIS SENTENCE IS FOR TEN YEARS
TO LIFE.
TO LIFE. NOT SURE HOW LONG HE’LL BE IN
THERE.
THERE. BUT I GUESS THAT’S WHERE HE
CURRENTLY IS.
CURRENTLY IS. >> IN THE STATE OF UTAH WE WERE
ABLE TO PROSECUTE OUR FATHER
OVER 15 YEARS AFTER THE ABUSE
HAD OCCURRED.
HAD OCCURRED. SO WE LOOK AT THINGS GOING ON.
>> BECAUSE OF THE LENGTHY
STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS.
>> WE LOOK AT CASES WHERE
STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS CONTINUES
TO COME TO THE SURFACE OF
DISCUSSIONS, AND VICTIMS NEED
THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAL.
WE SHOW.
WE SHOW. WE ARE ABLE TO BE HERE AND SHOW
WHAT CAN HAPPEN AFTER ABUSE IF
VICTIMS ARE GIVEN THE
OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE TIME.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. TO HAVE TIME.
THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS IS
SHORTER IN MANY STATES, AND TELL
US ABOUT YOUR FOUNDATION NOW.
NOW YOU’RE ON A MISSION.
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. IT’S THE FOUNDATION FOR
SURVIVORS OF ABUSE, AND WE HAVE
PARTNERED WITH CHRISTEN JILL
BRAND ON A FEDERAL BILL THAT
WOULD ELIMINATE THE STATUTE OF
LIMITATIONS IN ALL STATES.
IN NEW YORK IT’S ONLY UNTIL AGE
23.
23. IT’S RIDICULOUS.
IT’S RIDICULOUS. MOST VICTIMS DON’T COME OUT
UNTIL THEIR 30s OR 40s OR 50s.
>> WHO WANTS SHORT STATUTE OF
LIMITATIONS ON THAT?
WHO IS AGAINST A LONG STATUTE OF
LIMITATIONS ON THAT?
>> THE ARGUMENT IS BURDEN OF
PROOF.
PROOF. HOW CAN WE PROVE THE CASES
HAPPENED DECADES AGO?
AS VICTIMS WE SAY GIVE US THE
OPPORTUNITY TO NAME OUR ABUSER,
TO BE HEARD.
LET THE COURT DECIDE.
DON’T BAR US FROM HAVING THE
OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH
A CASE.
A CASE. >> CAN WE JUST SAY THAT THE
SCARS OF ABUSE ARE MANY.
YOU ALL ARE SURVIVORS.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR EYE?
IT’S STUNNING WHAT HAPPENED TO
YOU.
YOU. >> WELL, IN 2007, ’8 WREN ALL
THIS WAS COMING FORWARD.
I GOT AN EYE DISEASE THAT WAS
BROUGHT ON MY STRESS, AND I LOST
THE VISION IN MY LEFT EYE.
>> JUST THINK ABOUT THAT.
SOME OF THE SCARS OF ABUSE YOU
CAN SEE.
CAN SEE. SOME YOU CANNOT.
BUT YOU HAVE FOUGHT ON AND
STARTING NEXT WEEK TELL US WHAT
THE FIVE OF YOU ARE DOING?
>> WE’RE GOING BACK OUT ON TOUR
LIKE WE LOVE TO DO.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. >> THAT’S AWESOME.
>> AND THE FIVE OF YOU ARE STILL
AS CLOSE AS EVER?
>> WE ARE.
WE LOVE BEING TOGETHER AND
PLAYING THE MUSIC WE LOVE AND
TOURING THE WORLD.
AND NOW TO HAVE THIS DOCUMENTARY
ABOUT OUR LIVES, IT’S IN THE
FESTIVAL SCREENING STAGE.
WE GET TO WATCH IT BE PREMIERED
AT DIFFERENT PLACES AROUND THE
WORLD.
WORLD. IT’S AMAZING TO THINK PEOPLE ARE
WATCHING OUR LIVES AND THE
SUPPORT THAT WE’VE FELT HAS BEEN
AMAZING.
AMAZING. >> ROOTING SO MUCH FOR ALL OF
YOU.
YOU. ALL THE BEST AND THANK YOU FOR
TELLING YOUR STORY.
IT’S CALLED "THE FIVE BROWNS".
ALL THE BEST TO YOU.
THE FOUNDATION AND THE