The family hailed from the "Irish Channel" neighborhood of New Orleans, the source of practically a mob of early jazz players from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. Most famous among musicians bearing the surname of Brunies was trombonist and bandleader George Brunies, who wound up clipping a couple of letters off his name to become Georg Brunis, a fate that might have befallen Little Abbie Brunies if he hadn't been so young and short. There were also Merritt Brunies and the other Albert Brunies, both of whom led bands; the guitarist Ada Brunies; cornet player Richard Brunies; and Rudy Brunies, who played the "slap" bass style and made beer for a living. That's the whole gang except for Henry Henny Brunies, also known as Harry Brunies, yet another trombone player. ~ Eugene Chadbourne, Rovi