James Brown died on Christmas day, a typically dramatic move for the 73-year-old, self-described “Godfather of Soul,†who was known for dramatic endings in concert.
The news of his death caught me off guard, because I hadn’t heard much about the performer in years. Although Brown’s music career was in its sunset years, he was still touring and singing regularly. He was hospitalized with pneumonia just a couple days before, and died of heart failure not long after telling a friend he would perform in Times Square for New Year’s Eve.
The man earned another of his many nicknames, “The hardest working man in show business,†to the very end. Continue reading
