Born:
May 3, 1933
Birthplace:
Barnwell, SC
Died:
December 25, 2006 in Atlanta, GA
Also Known As:
Called the "Godfather of Soul", his full name is James Joseph Brown Jr. He was a vocalist, keyboard player, recording artist and songwriter who was a great influence in various genres including Soul, R&B, Funk, Pop and Dance. He was an activist during the civil rights movement of the 60's. He also appeared in several movies such as "The Blues Brothers," "The Tuxedo" and "Rocky IV".
Type of Compositions:
A prolific musician who created music in different genres such as funk, r&b, soul, pop and dance.
Influence:
Brown was a natural performer, even as a young boy he loved to perform in front of people. But it was after being jailed due to armed robbery at the age of 16 that probably changed his life. While there he met Bobby Byrd, a member of
The Avons, later renamed
The Famous Flames. Byrd's family helped Brown get out of jail and later on he joined Byrd's group (then named The Avons). In 1956, their song "Please, Please, Please" became a huge hit.
Notable Works:
Some of his famous songs are "Try Me," "I'll Go Crazy," "I Don't Want Nobody to Give Me Nothin'," "I Got You (I Feel Good)," "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag," "Baby You're Right," "I Got The Feelin'," "Get it Together," "It's A Man's Man's Man's World," "America is My Home," "Say It Loud - I'm Black And I'm Proud," and "Cold Sweat".
Interesting Facts:
Brown's life was beset with personal struggles but there is no denying the depth of his influence to music history. He influenced such artists as Prince, Sting, Bruce Springstein and The Rolling Stones. He was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2000. Brown also received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and an Award of Merit from the American Music Awards, The street where James lived as a young boy was renamed James Brown Boulevard.
Music Sample:
James Brown music clips available
here.
