James Joseph Brown, Jr. was the godfather of soul. He was born in Barnwell, South Carolina in 1933. He was a delinquent by the standards of his community, spending time in detention centers, and county jail. His home life was something left largely undiscussed. By the time Brown reached adulthood, he legally removed the “Jr.” from his name. In the 1950’s James began a group called the Famous Flames which launched his career. He worked with Little Richard, and many other rhythm and blues legends and in 1957 had his first number one hit single with ‘Try Me.”
By the middle of the 1960’s Brown, along with Allen Toussaint from New Orleans, had entirely redefined, and rebuilt R&B music, defining it as “Funk.” The sound would become the soundtrack to the musical revolution of the 1970’s and change the world forever. Though he continued to have trouble with the law, and rebel against the main stream, James Brown was like no other musician, a singular, eternal icon. His strict and deliberate style stands up today, and the beat makes us dance like no other sound before or since.
I remember the first time I heard James Brown. I was a punk rocker, working in a record shop. One of the guys I worked with put on a copy of “Say it loud (I’m black and I’m proud)” and while my initial reaction was somewhat negative, as were all my initial reactions back then, in seconds I was moving my thang to the beat. We played the whole album twice, and my sense of rhythm and groove were forever shifted into some new kind of space. I had never heard music which made an entire store full of people, all colors, all tastes, all sub cultures, come together and bob their heads, tap their toes, and come together quite like James Brown. United in the funk, my eyes opened a lot wider that day.
James brown died, Christmas day 2006. Thank you James, for your strength, and your spirit. Goodnight Mr. Brown.
James Brown and the Famous Flames Please, Please Please
One Comment
As I was making soup on xmas, I just happened to have “Say it Loud,” pumping through the stereo. My step son came upstairs at that moment and told me that James had died.
We had a chat about how revolutionary funk was, particularly since my husband and step son are both musicians. My husband said something profound, “James Brown is one of those people that you mark the times in your life with.” It’s really true. When someone introduces you to something new–a way of thought, feeling, or acting–there’s a little time marker that goes on record. James Brown truly changed music history.