James Brown

Real Name:
James Joseph Brown, Jr.
Profile:
American singer, songwriter, and musician.

Born: 3 May 1933 near Barnwell, South Carolina, USA.
Died: 25 December 2006 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA (aged 73).

James Brown was raised in poverty in Augusta, Georgia.

Previously worked as a shoe shiner, car washer & a cotton picker.

1950s: Joined the Gospel Starlighters in 1953, a vocal quartet led by Bobby Byrd, after completing a four-year stint in prison for robbery. As Brown became the focal point of the act, the group changed its name to 'The Famous Flames' and its focus from gospel to R&B. In 1955 The Famous Flames record "Please Please Please" at the studio of WIBB in Macon, Georgia. In 1958 James Brown's first #1 hit, "Try Me", is released. It was the best-selling R&B single of 1958, and the first of 17 chart-topping R&B singles by Brown over the next two decades.

1965: Records "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag", a revolutionary single that ushers in a whole new era of soul music. Released that summer, it tops the R&B chart for eight weeks and even cracks the pop Top Ten.

1971: Signs with Polydor Records, for which he recorded extensively throughout the decade.
1974: The Payback, the most successful of James Brown's Seventies albums—many of which were double-LPs with lengthy, extended tracks—makes its debut on Billboard's album chart. It is the only gold-certified (500,000 copies sold) album of his career.

1984: Bronx DJ Afrika Bambaataa teams up with Brown to record the anthemic single "Unity".
1986: "Living In America", the theme song from Rocky IV, reaches #4 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, becoming Brown's biggest pop hit since "I Got You (I Feel Good)" went to #3 in 1965.

1992: Receives a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 34th annual Grammy Awards.

2006: Hospitalized with pneumonia, dying on Christmas Day.

Inducted into Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 (Performer).
Inducted into Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2000.
Sites:
Aliases:
In Groups:
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Artist

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Albums

LP-780, 780 Good, Good, Twistin' With James Brown — James Brown James Brown Good, Good, Twistin' With James Brown (Album, Comp) King Records (3) LP-780, 780 Canada 1962 Sell This Version
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851 Prisoner Of Love — James Brown James Brown Prisoner Of Love (Album) King Records (3) 851 US 1963 Sell This Version
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826 The James Brown Show (Live At The Apollo) — James Brown James Brown The James Brown Show (Live At The Apollo) (Album) King Records (3) 826 Canada 1963 Sell This Version
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MGS-27054 Showtime — James Brown James Brown Showtime (Album) Smash Records (4) MGS-27054 US 1964 Sell This Version
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SRS 67057 Grits & Soul (The Instrumental Sounds Of The James Brown Band)  — James Brown James Brown Grits & Soul (The Instrumental Sounds Of The James Brown Band) (Album) Smash Records (4) SRS 67057 Canada 1964 Sell This Version
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HA 8177 Pure Dynamite! Live At The Royal — James Brown James Brown Pure Dynamite! Live At The Royal (Album) King Records (3), King Records (3) HA 8177 UK 1964 Sell This Version
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MGS 27058, MGS-27058 Sings Out Of Sight — James Brown James Brown Sings Out Of Sight (Album) Smash Records (4), Smash Records (4) MGS 27058, MGS-27058 US 1965 Sell This Version
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SRS 67072 James Brown Plays James Brown - Today & Yesterday  (Featuring James Brown At The Organ) — James Brown James Brown James Brown Plays James Brown - Today & Yesterday (Featuring James Brown At The Organ) (Album) Smash Records (4), Smash Records (4) SRS 67072 US 1965 Sell This Version
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938 Papa's Got A Brand New Bag — James Brown James Brown Papa's Got A Brand New Bag (Album, Comp) King Records (3) 938 US 1965 Sell This Version
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NPL 28097 James Brown Sings Christmas Songs — James Brown James Brown James Brown Sings Christmas Songs (Album) Pye International NPL 28097 UK 1966 Sell This Version
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SMX 67084 Handful Of Soul — James Brown James Brown Handful Of Soul (Album) Smash Records (4), Smash Records (4) SMX 67084 US 1966 Sell This Version
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NPL 28074 I Got You (I Feel Good) — James Brown James Brown I Got You (I Feel Good) (Album) King Records (3), King Records (3) NPL 28074 UK 1966 Sell This Version
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657 106 Mighty Instrumentals - Night Train — James Brown James Brown Mighty Instrumentals - Night Train(LP, Album, Mono) International Polydor Production 657 106 France 1966 Sell This Version
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SRS-707-C Plays New Breed (The Boo-Ga-Loo) — James Brown James Brown Plays New Breed (The Boo-Ga-Loo) (Album) Smash Records (4), Smash Records (4) SRS-707-C US 1966 Sell This Version
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985 It's A Man's Man's Man's World — James Brown James Brown It's A Man's Man's Man's World (Album) King Records (3) 985 US 1966 Sell This Version
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658 043 Cold Sweat — James Brown James Brown Cold Sweat (Album) Polydor 658 043 France 1967 Sell This Version
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BL 7823 James Brown Plays The Real Thing — James Brown James Brown James Brown Plays The Real Thing (Album) Smash Records (4), Smash Records (4) BL 7823 UK 1967 Sell This Version
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NPL 28104 Live At The Garden — James Brown James Brown Live At The Garden (Album) Pye International NPL 28104 UK 1967 Sell This Version
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1016 Raw Soul — James Brown James Brown Raw Soul (Album) King Records (3) 1016 US 1967 Sell This Version
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432-1034 James Brown Plays Nothing But Soul — James Brown James Brown James Brown Plays Nothing But Soul King Records (3) 432-1034 US 1968 Sell This Version
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KS 1040, 1040 A Soulful Christmas — James Brown James Brown A Soulful Christmas (Album) King Records (3) KS 1040, 1040 US 1968 Sell This Version
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1024, KLPS 1024 Show Of Tomorrow — James Brown James Brown Show Of Tomorrow (Comp, Album) King Records (3) 1024, KLPS 1024 Canada 1968 Sell This Version
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432-1031 I Got The Feelin' — James Brown James Brown I Got The Feelin' (Album) King Records (3) 432-1031 US 1968 Sell This Version
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KS 1038 Thinking About Little Willie John And A Few Nice Things — James Brown James Brown Thinking About Little Willie John And A Few Nice Things (Album) King Records (3) KS 1038 Canada 1968 Sell This Version
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184 136 The Godfather Of Soul — James Brown James Brown The Godfather Of Soul (Album, Comp) Polydor 184 136 Spain 1968 Sell This Version

Add Review

giannisvlachos1990

giannisvlachos1990

February 17, 2019
James Brown was the best entertainer and good singer (before Michael Jackson) in the early 1960s, the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and the early 2000s, but only in his live appearances and music videos.

I just like only some of his good songs like: "I feel good" (1965), "Sex machine" (1970) and "Living in America" (1985).

R.I.P James (2006). He deserved the best, in general.
See 3 replies
MISTER_DIA-TRIBE_73

MISTER_DIA-TRIBE_73

October 10, 2017
edited over 6 years ago
I just hope everyone who is not an avid listerner of James Brown and crew truly and finally understands what he and is what his crew have done! The Jaybeezzzzzzzzzzz... The soul of James will never die. Spread the word/gospel. Because The Jb's are today still 1000% on the street! Peace ;)
badhack

badhack

January 10, 2016
Was the hardest working man in show business.
See 1 reply
jdank.firth

jdank.firth

April 28, 2015
edited over 8 years ago
May The Godfather of Soul Live On! I'll be Spinnin' the greatest tunes by him all the time!
rickiadams

rickiadams

February 18, 2015
And the mighty Fred Wesley and the Jb,s
rickiadams

rickiadams

February 18, 2015
James Brown the greatest of all time wow a superb legend gone but truly not forgotten tha man set so many boundaries when it comes to music he put the f in funk super funk brother I remember him on soul train wow he can move he just to smooth I love you godfather thank you for the jobs and the music
MARKVISIONARY

MARKVISIONARY

January 3, 2014
James Brown is my hero
ARW747

ARW747

November 16, 2013
Amazing Brotha that will never ever be 4gotting! RIP James Brown!
Apeman

Apeman

May 17, 2009
James Brown = One of the funkiest artists ever to come out ever, ever!

He was just too good. He putted 99.9% of virtually all music to shame, because he was a pioneer, and totally original. He created Funk all the way back in the mid-60's and his dancing was unbelievable, only to be copied by people like Michael Jackson and the Rolling Stones. He is also the #1 most sampled artist of all time, and virtually every genre (especially Golden Age Hip-Hop) has incorporated him in some way or another.

One of my regrets is not seeing this guy live. He would have been incredible but still, there is always Live at the Apollo or Revelation of the Mind out there, or some DVD if you want to see what he was like.

RIP James Brown 1933-2006

PS: No James Brown = No Hip-Hop, Breakbeat, House, Disco, Funk, Modern Pop, and just Modern Music in general.
See 1 reply

December 30, 2006
edited over 16 years ago
A giant has fallen. At 25th December 2006, James Brown took his last three long breaths and went away. As i write this, it is still unbelievable for me to think that this legend is no longer with us, given the fact how energic he still was at age 73. He gave his last performances all the way to the end, and he was suppose to play at B.B King's Nightclub in New York the following week.
You can not tell what the music industry would be sounding like without his presence and effort. He influenced thousands of other producers and music enthustiast around the world and artist from the end of 60's to present has been trying to copy him, immitate him and offcourse, many has sample his music.
To me, the Godfather of Soul has given me all, if not everything to gain my love of music even higher, and appreciate the right music alot more.
But i can't really say much more that has been allready said about a man that has lived a fantastic life. To dive in to his extensive musical output has been a marveling memorial experience and i will collect his music as far as i can.
I advise people to give 'Mr.Dynamite' a last word and honor, because one of the greatest and ifluential artist of the time has left us and to be honest, the world for me does not quite feel the same without him.
I give Brown my upmost respect. Rest in peace and thanks for everything.
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