“The Godfather of Soul” Has Died

James Brown, known as the “Godfather of Soul,” died of heart failure early Monday morning at Emory Crawford Long Hospital in Atlanta. He was 73.
According to his agent, Frank Copsidas, Brown was initially admitted to the hospital with pneumonia but seemed to be fine. He even told people that he planned to perform in New York for New Year's Eve.

James Joseph Brown was born in Barnwell, South Carolina on May 3, 1933. Abandoned at the age of 4 by his parents, Brown overcame poverty and even prison to become one of the most popular, most influential musicians of the modern music era and an icon of African-American pride.
Brown had recorded well over one hundred songs with 94 of them reaching the Top 100, and he had more Top 20 singles than any other recording artist. Only Elvis Presley had more records make the music charts than Brown.
Some of Brown’s hit songs include “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag,” “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World,” “I Got the Feelin’,” and “Cold Sweat.”

He was one of the figures most responsible for turning R&B into soul; he was, most would agree, the figure most responsible for turning soul music into the funk of the late ‘60’s and early ‘70’s.

“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, said in an interview on MSNBC.

As charter member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Brown added to his collection of accolades when he received a lifetime achievement Grammy Award in 1992.

James Brown’s music will continue to influence new generations of musicians for generations to come with his funk grooves often being used as samples on rap recordings. Pictured Above Top Left: James Brown, known as “The Godfather of Soul” died Monday at the age of seventy-three.