James Brown was one of the main artists that got us into soul music in the first place in the late 60’s/early 70’s, he was also the catalyst of the rare groove scene in the mid to late 80’s, and his music has formed the basis of 100’s of hip hop tracks. Without James Brown, Soul Brother Records probably would not exist.
James career spanned over 50 years from the mid 50’s and he was still performing until shortly before his death. He was a charismatic live performer, I was lucky enough to see him perform many times in the 70’s and 80’s. He will be best remembered for his 60’s hits ‘Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag, ‘It’s a Man’s World’ and ‘I Got You’, and his funk classics like ‘Sex Machine’, ‘The Payback’, ‘Soul Power’ and ‘Get On The Good Foot’.
He was an incredibly prolific performer recording 3 to 4 albums a year at his peak, as well as producing albums and singles by JB’s, and his backing singers Bobby Byrd, Vicki Anderson, Marva Whitney and Lyn Collins etc. James was also a hero of Black America an involved in the civil rights campaign and teaching his people self worth (Say It Loud I’m Black And I’m Proud, You Got to Get a Job, I Don’t want nobody to give me nothing), appearing in concert on the night of Dr Martin Luther King’s death to keep people off the streets, and playing for the troops in Vietnam.
We pay tribute to this great performer.
