Long Live The Godfather

James Brown 1933-2006

Every Sunday Night in America meant Ed Sullivan. All sorts of acts appeared on the show, everyone from Elvis to The Beatles to The Doors to Hungarian acrobats. When I was a boy, perhaps no more than nine or ten, an act appeared that was mesmerizing: a black man with a pomp, peg pants and pointy-toed shoes. He was singing, and spinning and doing the splits. He was unlike any other musician/entertainer I’d ever seen. Near the conclusion of the song, he appeared near exhaustion, and two large men appeared from offstage and placed a cape about his shoulders and led him toward the curtain at the back of the stage. Just as he was about to disappear behind the curtain, he broke free from the two men supporting him, spun around and slid—on his knees—toward the audience to finish his performance. Forget about Houdini, this was the Real Deal, a dazzling display of showmanship that was a revelation for a young kid. He remains the definition of cool.


The man’s name was James Brown and he was a True American Legend. Sadly, he passed on Christmas Eve at the age of 73 and will take The Night Train home. He had a few megahits in the ‘60’s and ‘70’s, but "The Godfather’s" true claim to fame was his stage performance work. He toured throughout the world often in excess of 200 times a year, and truly earned the title of "Hardest Workin’ Man In Show Business". While he was accorded near godlike status in the music world, he also had a tremendous social impact on black and white alike. He was performing (as usual) on the evening when Martin was murdered and used his pulpit to preach calm, and in that small corner of the world, there was peace.

James Brown's music was felt in a person's heart and deep within their soul. He transcended everything else. It didn't matter where you were from, if you were a young person in the Sixties and couldn't connect with James, in musical terms you would have been seriously deficient. Without being a musical snob, I would suggest that his work from 1955-1970 is as elementary to American Music as any of the great pioneers of the 20th Century. Surely, one could look at the complex rhythmic patterns and visualize The Duke, George Gershwin and Aaron Copland nodding their approval. Like the foregoing Great American Masters, he surrounded himself with fabulous musicians and demanded perfection.

James came out of the Georgia Gospel tradition, and the spirituality came through loud and clear in such songs as "Please Please Please", "Try Me" and "I Walk Alone". The later hits, such as "Papa’s Got", and "I Feel Good", were more rhythmic in nature, and even later hits like "Get Up Offa That Thing" were joyous invitations to dance. In his final years, there were domestic troubles and even a stint in the pen, though none of these things diminish his star. His pioneering place in the firmament of American Music has been secured. It is only fitting that he lie in state, as do royalty and high politicians, at the site of his most inspired performances, the legendary Apollo Theatre. "The King is gone, but not forgotten."

Long Live The Godfather of Soul!