- Born
- 3 May 1933, Barnwell, South Carolina, United States
- First work
- 1956: Please, Please, Please
- Peak
- 1962 to 1974 (estimated)
- Last work
- 2002: The Next Step
- Died
- 25 December 2006, Atlanta, United States; aged 73; illness
James Brown
Music: singer, songwriter, dancer, bandleader, United States
James Brown was an American vocalist, songwriter, and bandleader whose relentless polyrhythms and peerless stagecraft earned him the title 'The Godfather of Soul'. Born in Barnwell, South Carolina, in 1933, he emerged with The Famous Flames in 1956 singing Please, Please, Please. In 1962, his self-funded Live at the Apollo became a watershed commercial milestone. Through the mid-1960s and 1970s, Brown reshaped black music by elevating the rhythmic groove above traditional melody, effectively creating funk music with classics like Papa's Got a Brand New Bag. He sustained an electric touring schedule until his death in Atlanta on Christmas Day in 2006.
Who else was born on 3 May or who died on 25 December.
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Signature works
- Please, Please, Please 1956
- Live at the Apollo 1963
- Papa's Got a Brand New Bag 1965
- I Got You (I Feel Good) 1965
- Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine 1970
Honours
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, 1986
- Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, 1992
- Kennedy Center Honors, 2003
Groups: The Famous Flames, The J.B.'s.