Guide Note

James Brown, often referred to as "The Godfather of Soul", is one of the most influential musicians and entertainers of the 20th. His mixture of Soul, Funk and Blues, along with his energetic live performances, helped make him an icon in contemporary music.

Background

Brown was born in South Carolina in 1933 to a poverty-stricken family. After a childhood spent moving around and scraping to get by, Brown was convicted of armed robbery and spent time in a juvenile detention center where he formed a gospel quartet with some of the other inmates. After being released, Brown sang with a gospel singing group before recording his first hit single "Try Me" in 1958.

Rise to Fame

Brown caught a break in 1957 when Little Richard quit music to become a preacher. Brown was called on to fill in for Richard on his remaining tour dates - and even went on to incorporate some of the members of Richard's band into his own. Over the next ten years, he would go on to record a string of hit songs, including "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag", "I Got You (I Feel Good)" and the ballad "It's a Man's Man's Man's World".

Funk and the J.B.'s

During the late 60s and into the 70s, Brown's music began to shift from the straight-up R&B; sound to the new genre of Funk - which he'd helped create. After his original band disbanded, Brown assembled a new group of young musicians (including bassist Bootsy Collins) to form a new backing band, the J.B.'s. With his new band, Brown went on to record a number of hit songs, including the classic "Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine".

Fast Facts

1. Name: James Joseph Brown, Jr
2. Born: May 3, 1928
3. Died: December 25, 2006
4. Grammy Awards: 2
5. Nicknames: The Godfather of Soul, The Hardest Working Man in Show Business