James Brown, the dynamic, pompadoured “Godfather of Soul,” whose rasping vocals and revolutionary rhythms made him a founder of rap, funk and disco as well, died early Monday, his agent said. He was 73.
Brown was hospitalized with pneumonia at Emory Crawford Long Hospital on Sunday and died around 1:45 a.m. Monday, said his agent, Frank Copsidas of Intrigue Music.
I think I could have picked a better time to check out. (grimace)
I mean no disrespect; I just think it’s sadder than usual when someone dies on Christmas day.
(sigh)… anyway….
I didn’t really appreciate his recorded output, until his performing and recording career was past it’s zenith. I was more into pop sounds, in those years, and he was decidedly not pop, on the whole. Old, he’d get an occasional song to pop up ; “I feel good… I got you” was one such.
“Living in America” was another such tune. ironic that that particular tune comes to mind, given the flurry of activity around Sylvester Stallone’s movies. That tune, you may recall came up in one of them ; Rocky III, I think. That particular disk was a staple in my repertoire at weddings for a long time.
But on the whole, I really didn’t listen to him very much. Until, ..oh, I don’t know… the last five years or so. I suppose it’s that way when you’re on the cutting edge. People don’t appreciate you until after you’ve gone, at which pont they say “Damn, the guy was GOOD”.
As it is, the guy had more honors and titles attached to his name than anybody else in the business. And he grew and adapted to see what a long period 60 soul music seventies disco funk, rap in the eighties the man did it all, and did it well.
One question I’ve never had answered, though, is what he thought of what he sees going on in the music world around him today. I can’t help but think he… as positive as he usually was, by all accounts, would have been somewhat disheartened by the whole deal.
