Brown, James 1933(?)-2006

(James Joe Brown, Jr.)

OBITUARY NOTICE— See index for CA sketch: Born May 3, 1933 (some sources say June 17, 1928, or May 3, 1928), in Barnwell, SC; died of heart failure, December 25, 2006, in Atlanta, GA. Singer, entertainer, and author. Widely revered as the “Godfather of Soul,” Brown exerted a profound influence on American music that ranged from rock and funk to hip-hop and rap. Entering the world under humble circumstances, he was abandoned by his parents when he was four years old. Relatives took him in, but the young Brown found himself in trouble on the streets. He was sent to reform school for breaking into cars, but his life turned around when he met Bobby Byrd. Byrd took Brown under his wing and invited him to join his group, the Gospel Starlighters. Brown was in his element, and soon became the group’s leader. Renamed the Famous Flames in 1956, the group switched from gospel to R&B and signed a contract with King Records. Their first hit, “Please, Please, Please,” made it to the Top Ten list that year. Other hits followed, and by the early 1960s Brown had become a hugely successful solo performer. His 1963 album, James Brown Live at the Apollo, was a musical landmark that still reverberates today. By this time, Brown had honed his style, which emphasized rhythms over melodies. His arrangements made not only drums, but also wind and string instruments into rhythm sections, all complimented by his passionate lyrics which were used not only in expressive vocals but also to direct the musicians in often improvised performances. Brown was clearly interested more in creating dynamic, innovative sounds than he was in becoming a pop icon. He achieved popularity nonetheless with songs such as “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag,” which was a Grammy Award winner, “Get Up I Feel Like Being a Sex Machine,” and “I Got You (I Feel Good).” His 1968 song “Say It Loud—I’m Black and I’m Proud” was adopted as a rallying cry during the civil rights movement. After enjoying a height in popularity from the 1960s through the mid-1970s, Brown was somewhat overshadowed by the rise of disco music. Nevertheless, he never faded from the scene completely. His rhythms and musical arrangements would influence disco, hip-hop, and rap, and Brown continued to perform through his last years. An interruption to his career came in 1988 when he was arrested on charges of assault and resisting police officers. Asserting his innocence, Brown nevertheless served three years in prison; he was officially pardoned in 2003 after being released in 1991. Another setback happened in 1998, when an addiction to painkillers put him in the hospital. Also called the hardest-working performer of his time, Brown could put on energetic stage performances even when he reached his seventies. Over his long career, his records went gold forty-four times; he won his second Grammy in 1986 for “Living in America,” was inducted into the Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, and received a lifetime achievement award from the American Music Awards in 1992, among other honors. His autobiography, James Brown: The Godfather of Soul, was first published in 1986.