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James Brown
Soul Brother Number One
The Godfather of Soul
The Hardest Working Man in Show Business
Mr. Dynamite OR
The Original Disco man
Brown was born into a life of poverty during the Great Depression and at the age of 16, he was sentenced to serve time in a reform school for petty theft. After his release, he used some of his energy as a boxer and a semi-professional baseball player until the 1950s when he decided to shift his focus to making music fulltime. Although he spent years touring and recording with his group The Flames and then by himself, Brown didn't score a top 10 hit until the mid-1960s when he released two of his signature tunes "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" and "I Got You (I Feel Good)", both from 1965. In the following year, Brown's "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" won the Grammy for Best Rhythm & Blues Recording.
In 1968, after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., Brown released Say It Loud – I'm Black and I'm Proud following pressure from fans to take a stance on the civil rights movement. The song became an anthem of the civil rights movement but according to Brown it caused him to lose some of his crossover fans.
Brown holds the record as the artist who charted the most singles on the Billboard Hot 100 without ever hitting number one on that chart. His live shows were electrifying. They were replete with his unique dance moves, shiny stage outfits and high energy all while singing. His mashed potato was a force to be reckoned with! Brown said his goal was to "give people more than what they came for — make them tired, 'cause that's what they came for."
I know this is the first time I'm doing this, but Brown's biography is so extensive I could not do it justice with just one post. Since I think he deserves more than that, you should check out the rest of his biography here.
His passion for putting on extravagant shows and putting out great music was obvious. Its hard to watch one of his live shows without giving in to the desire to tap your feet or get up and dance!
All that said, its time for a music break! Get upAH get on up!
Papa's Got a Brand New Bag
This is a Man's World
Please, Please Please
The Cape Routine became a trademark of Brown's shows and his fans loved to watch it. The man with the Cape kills me softly! I love it though!
I Got the Feeling
Get UpAH (I Feel Like A Being) Sex Machine. Yes! The (ah) on the end of UP is necessary!
The Big Payback
Say it Loud, I'm Black and I'm PROUD
In his career, which spans decades, Brown earned his title as The hardest working man in show bidness! Many successful artists including Michael Jackson and Miles Davis cited James Brown as their biggest influence. In 1986, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. During his career, Brown boasted 114 total entries on Billboard’s R&B singles charts and 94 that made the Hot 100 singles chart. In December 2003, only months after his 70th birthday, James Brown was the recipient of the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors.
He passed away on December 25, 2006. May he RIParadise! His legacy still lives on through his music.
BONUS: After Brown passed, the Grammys honored him by carving out part of their show to feature a tribute to the legend.
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