Musical Facts About James Brown, The Godfather Of Soul
You can’t be a fan of modern funk, soul, or R&B and not know James Brown, AKA “Soul Brother Number One.”
The man was a musical genius, and his spectacular rise from bone-breaking poverty to over-the-top stardom is the stuff that fairy tales are made of. Unfortunately, his life behind the scenes was anything but a fairy tale.
What made Brown the man and the musician he was? Let’s find out as we sway to the beat to these melodic facts about the Godfather of Soul.
1. He Was Born in Poverty
James Brown was born in 1933, in a small shack in a pine forest in South Carolina. His parents were just 16 and 22, and clearly not ready for a baby. Their house was without windows, running water, electricity, and even a toilet.
It was a difficult life and adding a baby in the mix meant things were just going to get harder.
2. He Could Have Been Joseph
His parents planned to name him Joseph James Brown Jr., but the names got switched on his birth certificate and so he became James Joseph Brown Jr. He dropped the “Jr.” from his name when he wrote his autobiography—but he had good reason.
He wasn’t close to his father, so it was no surprise that he didn’t want to be a “junior.” Sadly, he’d turn out to be like him in the worst way possible…
3. He Had a Tough Childhood
Brown Sr. was no Dad of the Year. He was alcoholic and abusive and once almost killed his wife in a fit of rage. She left the family when Brown was four. The little boy grew up wearing rags and walking around barefoot.
He had no neighbors or friends, and his father’s steady stream of girlfriends never stayed long enough to take care of him—but soon, he’d be in for a big change.
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4. His Aunt Took Him In
Things took a turn for little James when his aunt took him in. He moved to her place in Augusta, Georgia—but there was a chilling dark side to the situation. Her place happened to be a bordello. Brown had to earn his upkeep here too: He was responsible for entertaining potential clients, and for guiding them to his Aunt’s establishment.
