Artist of the Week: James Brown.

After listening to music for hours, I decided to select James Brown as my Artist of the Week, this week. He died in December 25th, so he won't be recording any more albums or touring. It seems like an appropriate time to pay tribute to the Godfather of Soul. He had a prolific music career, which included contributions as a singer, songwriter, band leader, and record producer. He liked to refer to himself as "the hardest working man in show business."
Born in Barnwell, South Carolina, on May 3, 1933, his family later moved to nearby Augusta, Georgia. At birth, he was named James Joseph Brown, Jr, but later had his name legally changed to drop the Junior. His middle name was the same as my first name. How cool is that? He started his professional music career in 1953 and was still working right up until the time of his death, last month. In November, 2006, he was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame and performed live at the ceremony. He was still touring in 2006, at the age of 73.
Some people have criticized him for problems in his personal life. He had numerous run-ins with the law, during his life and been accused of domestic violence. Brown has also been implicated in illegal drug use. He was married four times. Despite these problems, James Brown made a phenomenal contribution to the world of music. For the moment, with his recent death still fresh in our memories, I think he should be honored for his work, rather than chided for his faults. You can check out his Myspace at: www.myspace.com/thelegendjamesbrown .