<back - JAMES BROWN - (May 3,1933 - December 25,2007) James Brown was born May 3, 1933 in South Carolina and raised in poverty in Augusta, Georgia. As a child, he picked cotton, danced for spare change and shined shoes. At 16, he landed in reform school for 3 years where he met Bobby Byrd, leader of a Gospel group and life-long friend. James Brown joined Bobby Byrd in a group that sang Gospel in and around Georgia. After seeing Hank Ballard and Fats Domino, Byrd and Brown were lured into secular music. In 1955, naming the band The Flames, A tightly knit ensemble of singers, dancers and multi-instrumentalists. The Flames caught the attention of King Records, and in April 1956, they released the R&B Top 10 hit Please, Please, Please.

By now The Flames had become James Brown & the Famous Flames. He recorded material derivative of heroes like Roy Brown, Little Willie John, Hank Ballard, Little Richard and Brother Ray. 'Try Me' was released in September 1958 and became #1 on the R&B charts. On October 24, 1962, he performed at the Apollo and the recording Live At The Apollo, made him a star.  In 1964, James Brown had several hits in the US charts. His album Live at the Apollo climbed to #2 and became the first LP in Pop history to sell more than a million copies. His greatest hits of that period were Papa's Got A Brand New Bag, I Feel Good, It's a Man's World, Cold Sweat, and Mother Popcorn. His best selling albums in 1966 were I Got You and in 1968 I Can't Stand Myself. Papa's Got A Brand New Bag earned him a Grammy Award. Until 1974, James Brown stayed on track with hit singles like Hot Pants, Make It Funky,  Good Foot, My Thang and The Payback. At this point he had sold over 100 million records. James Brown became a victim of the disco revolution, but a guest part in the cult movie 'The Blues Brothers' in 1980 allowed him a comeback that led to a success with the release Rapp Payback. In 1985, James Brown had another hit with Living in America, earning him another Grammy Award. The in 1986, together with Steve Winwood and Stevie Ray Vaughan, he recorded the critically acclaimed Gravity, followed by 1988's I'm Real. Back in the studio in 1991 James Brown released Love Over-Due, which was a return to his Blues n' Soul roots. He has picked up a new generation of fans who have become familiar with his music through their frequent use as samples on Rap/Hip Hop records. James Brown is the most sampled artist in music today. He was inducted into the Rock&Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1992 and in 1993 was presented with the R&B Foundation's Lifetime Achievement Award. 'Godfather of Soul', 'Hardest Working Man in Show Business', are titles that James Brown has righteously earned. MP3 - Papa's Gotta Brand New Bag | It's a Man's World |