courtesy of Associated Press

BC-Obit-Brown,0123
URGENT
Singer James Brown, the 'Godfather of Soul' dies at 73
ATLANTA (AP) - James Brown, the legendary singer known as the
"Godfather of Soul," has died, his agent said early Monday. He
was 73.
Brown was hospitalized Sunday at Emory Crawford Long Hospital
with pneumonia and died around 1:45 a.m. Monday, said his agent,
Frank Copsidas of Intrigue Music. Longtime friend Charles Bobbit
was by his side, Copsidas said.
The agent said Brown's family was being notified of his death
and that the cause was still uncertain. "We really don't know at
this point what he died of," Copsidas said.

(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

AP-NY-12-25-06 0256EST




U.S. soul singer James Brown. (CPimages)

.....

That sucks!!!!!

Awwwww shit!!!


For his family

He will be missed

I just cannot believe it

WOW!

CNN already has the tribute footage rolling.
[Edited 12/25/06 0:16am]

I never got to see him live..

R.I.P. Mr. Brown

Nothing but love and well wishes for his family.

This is so sad.....

Fuck.

oh my word.


man he will be misssed.

RIP Great One.

More on James Brown's legendary and groundbreaking career, as well as mention of his influence on so many artists and bands, including Prince

http://www.nbc24.com/Glob...?S=5856142


updated as of 3:06 a.m.
Godfather of Soul, James Brown, dies at age 73 in Atlanta Hospital

ATLANTA (AP) - James Brown, the legendary singer known as the "Godfather of Soul," has died, his agent said early Monday. He was 73.

Brown was hospitalized with pneumonia on Sunday at Emory Crawford Long Hospital and died around 1:45 a.m. Monday, said his agent, Frank Copsidas of Intrigue Music. Longtime friend Charles Bobbit was by his side, he said.

Copsidas said Brown's family was being notified of his death and that the cause was still uncertain. "We really don't know at this point what he died of," he said.

Along with Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan and a handful of others, Brown was one of the major musical influences of the past 50 years. At least one generation idolized him, and sometimes openly copied him. His rapid-footed dancing inspired Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson among others.

Songs such as David Bowie's "Fame," Prince's "Kiss," George Clinton's "Atomic Dog" and Sly and the Family Stone's "Sing a Simple Song" were clearly based on Brown's rhythms and vocal style.

If Brown's claim to the invention of soul can be challenged by fans of Ray Charles and Sam Cooke, then his rights to the genres of rap, disco and funk are beyond question. He was to rhythm and dance music what Dylan was to lyrics: the unchallenged popular innovator.

"James presented obviously the best grooves," rapper Chuck D of Public Enemy once told The Associated Press. "To this day, there has been no one near as funky. No one's coming even close."

His hit singles include such classics as "Out of Sight," "(Get Up I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine," "I Got You (I Feel Good)" and "Say It Out Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud," a landmark 1968 statement of racial pride.

"I clearly remember we were calling ourselves colored, and after the song, we were calling ourselves black," said in a 2003 Associated Press interview. "The song showed even people to that day that lyrics and music and a song can change society."

He won a Grammy award for lifetime achievement in 1992, as well as Grammys in 1965 for "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" (best R&B recording) and for "Living In America" in 1987 (best R&B vocal performance, male.) He was one of the initial artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, along with Presley, Chuck Berry and other founding fathers.

He triumphed despite an often unhappy personal life. Brown, who lived in Beech Island near the Georgia line, spent more than two years in a South Carolina prison for aggravated assault and failing to stop for a police officer. After his release on in 1991, Brown said he wanted to "try to straighten out" rock music.

From the 1950s, when Brown had his first R&B hit, "Please, Please, Please" in 1956, through the mid-1970s, Brown went on a frenzy of cross-country tours, concerts and new songs. He earned the nickname "The Hardest Working Man in Show Business."

With his tight pants, shimmering feet, eye makeup and outrageous hair, Brown set the stage for younger stars such as Michael Jackson and Prince.

In 1986, he was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And rap stars of recent years overwhelmingly have borrowed his lyrics with a digital technique called sampling.

Brown's work has been replayed by the Fat Boys, Ice-T, Public Enemy and a host of other rappers. "The music out there is only as good as my last record," Brown joked in a 1989 interview with Rolling Stone magazine.

"Disco is James Brown, hip-hop is James Brown, rap is James Brown; you know what I'm saying? You hear all the rappers, 90 percent of their music is me," he told the AP in 2003.

Copyright © 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

May he rest in peace! My prayers go out to his entire family!

Oh god this is terrible , I've got to something to honor the godfather, perhaps a Party dedicated to his incomparably funky music

NO FREAKING WAY.

this isn't exactly shocking, i suppose, since the man lived a HARD life...but wow. you just don't expect james brown to ever die, as ridiculous as that sounds. he's james brown! he's supposed to ALWAYS be around!

this is really sad news. i remember rocking out to my "living in america" vinyl 45 when i was a kid and barely knew who james brown was. i remember every time he was on TV, my mom would make a big deal out of james brown being on, because we knew his performances would blow us away every time.

to me, james brown is to soul what johnny cash is to country. they're the purest definition of what each genre is/was supposed to be, and proof of how far those musical communities have strayed. if johnny was earth, james was fire. both were (and are) elemental to music.

this is really sad news. not completely unexpected, but yeah...ya just never think of a world without JB.

i'm gonna have to put "jungle groove" on heavy rotation this week. RIP.

So sad... a musical giant has passed on...
[Edited 12/25/06 0:30am]

oh no... I can't find words really... one of the all time Greatest has gone..

on November 3rd he was still appearing in Vienna and I missed it... I'll never be able to forgive myself for this



blessings to him and his family

I had no idea he was even in the hospital or ill, wow, this came as quite a shock!! He was still performing in concert earlier this year. Amazing man.

He lived quite a life and now may he rest in peace this Christmas day.

Such sad news. I feel so fortunate to have met him and see him perform. May he rest in peace.

i just woke up. damn, what terrible loss! i can not believe it...

RIP James! Love Power Peace!

BlueNote

No words.

He was a giant in the music industry, and probably Prince's greatest influence.

Without J.B. there would not be the Prince we all know and love.

Rest In Peace James. May the happiness that eluded you in life find its way to your heart now.

After seeing him live just a few month ago with more
energy in over 20 years I thought he'd definitly
would be around for a long long time to come.

/peace Manki

This is terrible, especialy on Christmas. RIP.

The Greatest Ever

I just talked to his musical director. The band doesn't even know yet. Nobody saw it coming. They were supposed to fly out for some shows this morning, but two concerts were cancelled last night because JB was rushed to the hospital with pneumonia. But they expected him to be ok by the end of the week.

This is the most tragic loss. It really just happened not even 2 hs ago.

I feel as bad as I did when Rick James died.

LQ

I really can't belevie it. I'm just in shock.

=-(.....

Rest in peace, Godfather.


sometimes you just don't have the words to say it.....
u will be missed.