http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061225/ap_on_re_us/obit_brown
James Brown, the undeniable “Godfather of Soul,” died on Christmas Morning 2006.
One of the major musical influences of the past 50 years, Brown was to rhythm and dance music what Bob Dylan was to lyrics. From Mick Jagger to Michael Jackson, David Bowie to Public Enemy, his rapid-footed dancing, hard-charging beats and heartfelt yet often unintelligible vocals changed the musical landscape.
He was one of the first artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, along with Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and other founding fathers.
“He was an innovator, he was an emancipator, he was an originator. Rap music, all that stuff came from James Brown,” entertainer Little Richard, a longtime friend of Brown’s, told MSNBC
Brown had more than 119 charting singles and recorded over 50 albums, was inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame and received a lifetime Grammy achievement award in 1992. Big hits included "Please, Please, Please," "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," "I Got You (I Feel Good)" "Get Up (I feel like being a Sex Machine)" and "It's a Man's World." Brown, also known as "Mr. Dynamite," would dance himself into a controlled frenzy as part of his stage show and typically changed suits a dozen times. He once said he aimed to wear out his audience and "give people more than what they came for -- make them tired." Brown's hit "Say it Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud)" became an anthem for the civil rights and Black Power movements of the 1960s but many fans criticized his decision to perform the song...... "Back then, black folks were called negroes, but James said you can say it loud, that being black is a great thing instead of something you have to apologize for," rapper Chuck D. of the group Public Enemy said in 2003. Brown also built a business empire with a string of radio stations and a production company. He even played a manic preacher in the hit movie "The Blues Brothers." Every recording he made from 1960-77 reached the top 100. His 1985 monster hit "Living in America," featured in the movie "Rocky IV," brought him a new generation of fans and his first Grammy. In a trademark routine, he would return on stage at the end of a show and sing a few lines of "Please, Please, Please," sweat pouring from his bared chest, feigning exhaustion. His stage crew would throw a cape over his back and he would leave, only to reappear seconds later on his knees, moaning the song into the microphone. The routine would sometimes go on for 30-40 minutes and made fans delirious. http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061225/en_nm/brown_death_dc_14 Yahoo News has some great Reuters Video footage and News Videos...
Hi, Maggi,
happy new year. and I hope that allways well you will have to do. good luck!
Posted by: Patch work | December 31, 2006 at 11:41 AM