With ths passing of the "The Godfather of Soul", James Brown one is forced to the question what in hell happened to the days when R&B/Soul music had meaning?

Stevie, Aretha, Donny, Luther, Chaka, Lauryn and others have tried to pave the way slowly, but now that James Brown is gone that vision is being lost. More and more, artists are being signed without having one major component a true singing voice.People are complaining in large numbers that radio is boring. Instead of finding original and unique talent, labels are continually focusig on selling a look, rather than selling music.

May the God Father of Soul Dead of soul rest in peace!

A Bio of James Brown's Early life

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Brown was born in the small town of Barnwell in Depression-era South Carolina as James Joseph Brown, Jr. As an adult, Brown would legally change his name to remove the "Jr." designation.

Brown's family eventually moved to nearby Augusta, Georgia. During his childhood, Brown helped support his family by picking cotton in the nearby fields and shining shoes downtown. In his spare time, Brown variously spent time either practicing his skills in Augusta-area halls, or committing petty crimes. At the age of sixteen, he was convicted of armed robbery and sent to a juvenile detention center upstate in Toccoa from 1948.

While in prison, Brown later made the acquaintance of Bobby Byrd, whose family helped Brown secure an early release after serving only three years of his sentence, under the condition that he not return to Augusta or Richmond County and that he would try to get a job. After brief stints as a boxer and baseball pitcher (a career move ended by leg injury) Brown turned his energy toward music.

Brown was married four times. He and his last wife, Tommie Raye Hynie (also cited as Tomi Rae Hynie), were married in 2001, but whether either marriage was legal is disputed. Tommie's prior 'husband' was a polygamist and thus her 3-day marriage to him should have never counted (i.e., since he cannot legally marry someone when he is already married). Based on this reasoning, the 2001 marriage is legal and she would be Mr Brown's wife. They had one child together, but according to Brown's attorney, the two never remarried. Brown also had two children by his first wife, Velma Warren, and three more by his second, Deidre Jenkins. His eldest son Teddy died in a car crash in 1973.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Brown

James Brown's Body to Lie at Apollo

The body of soul singer James Brown will be returned Thursday to the site of his debut _ the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem _ so the public that saw and heard him leave a lasting impression on music can see him one last time, the Rev. Al Sharpton said Tuesday.

James Brown Olympia 1966