James Brown

He married his third wife Adrienne Lois Rodriguez in 1984. This marriage was very troubled and ended with the death of his wife in 1996.

He began a relationship with Tomi Rae Hynie, a singer. They had a wedding ceremony in 2003 but it was not considered valid as Hynie was legally married to someone else during that period.

James Brown was born to Joseph James and Susie Brown in a small wooden shack during the Great Depression. He is of African, Chinese and Native American ancestry.

His parents broke up when he was small and he spent his life in extreme poverty, often living with relatives. He went to school till the seventh grade.

He was naturally talented and started singing in talent shows as a child. He also learned to play piano, guitar and harmonica.

He became involved in crimes as a teenager and was convicted of armed robbery at 16 and sent to a juvenile detention center. There he met Bobby Byrd who had a gospel group that performed in prison. The two became good friends.

Brown joined Byrd’s vocal group, The Gospel Starlighters. The group was renamed as The Famous Flames and released their debut album ‘Please, Please, Please’ in 1958. The title track of the album became a big hit and charted at No.1 on the R&B chart. However, the band could never replicate their initial success and broke up.

He released the ballad ‘Try Me’ in 1958 which peaked at No.1 on the R&B chart. He also organized a new backing band that was led by J.C. Davis. He revived his relationship with Bobby Byrd.

During the 1960s he released a number of songs that became huge R&B Hits: ‘Night Train’, ‘Lost Someone’, ‘Baby You’re Right’, and ‘Prisoner of Love’. His popularity with the audience was soaring and he was becoming a big star.

In collaboration with Byrd, he formed the production company, Fair Deal. He was a very hardworking performer and toured relentlessly throughout the 1950s and ‘60s, sometimes performing up to six nights week. His hectic schedule earned him the name, ‘The Hardest Working Man in Show Business’.

As a black singer he attained the status of a cultural icon who stood for black pride. Several of his songs, the most notable one being ‘Say It Loud - I’m Black and I’m Proud’, contained social messages that the black community could connect to.

Known as ‘The Godfather of Soul’ he was without doubt one of the most influential musicians and dancers of the 20th century. He was one of the founding fathers of funk, soul, and rap music and is considered to have heavily influenced artists like Mick Jagger, Michael Jackson, and Jay-Z.