On Christmas Day, the world lost one of music's greatest legends. James Brown, "The Godfather of Soul," passed away yesterday after a bout with severe pneumonia. Believe it or not, I am one of his biggest fans, and his 20 Greatest Hits CD is a staple of my car's collection.James Brown was an innovator in an industry that was already innovative. His genius shaped the music world, and spawned much of the music of the 70's, 80's, and 90's. Rap, Hip Hop, and R&B probably wouldn't exist without his influence. Of course, if Brown knew how Rap would turn out, he may have steered the other way.
Although I was never lucky enough to see him perform live, my greatest memory of him was his stint as Reverend Cleophus James in 1980's The Blues Brothers. Brown does an absolutely awesome version of "This Old Landmark" in the film, that rivals only Ray Charles' "Shake Your Tail Feather." It was classic James Brown.
The Godfather of Soul will be sorely missed.
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