Reviving James Brown's legacy in 5 stories: Impact, soul, and rhythm
The selected articles share James Brown's enduring influence and legacy. They highlight his impact on music, culture, and community.
James Brown made a life-changing decision in Columbus by hiring Bootsy and Catfish Collins as his new band, which shaped his funk sound. He stepped up during a crisis in Boston by performing a concert that helped prevent riots after Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination. His estate's legal issues reflect his final wish to support education for underprivileged children, now possible following a court ruling. Fishermen in South Carolina connect to Brown through his music, using it as a fishing charm. These stories underscore the diverse ways James Brown's legacy continues to resonate.
NO. 1: HOW JAMES BROWN KEPT BOSTON FROM RIOTING AFTER MLK'S DEATH
James Brown, the self-proclaimed Hardest Working Man in Showbiz, came on stage at Boston Garden Arena and surveyed a desert of unfilled seats.It was April 5, 1968, and just 1,500 people were gathered at the front of an arena with a capacity of 15,000. | Published April 6, 2018 | Read Full Story by Terence McArdle
NO. 2: 5 MINUTES WITH IMPERSONATOR JESSIE SUMTER
If you've been in the Columbia area and thought you might have spotted the Godfather of Soul, don't question your sanity. | Published August 8, 2019 | Read Full Story by Preach Jacobs
NO. 3: JAMES BROWN FUNK AND BANANA JUNK: HOW SC LOWCOUNTRY FISHERMEN GET THEIR MOJO WORKING
The worst part of losing your mojo is that you begin to question every single thing you do. | Published February 21, 2020 | Read Full Story by Collins Doughtie
NO. 4: SC COURT: WOMAN WASN’T JAMES BROWN’S LEGAL WIFE, HIS MONEY MAY GO TO SC, GA. EDUCATION
His will said most of his money was to go to education of the “poor and ... needy children” of South Carolina and Georgia. | Published June 17, 2020 | Read Full Story by David Travis Bland
NO. 5: WHILE IN COLUMBUS, ICON JAMES BROWN MADE A DECISION THAT WOULD CHANGE HIS LIFE FOREVER
Did you know about this hidden history? Here’s the story. | Published March 14, 2022 | Read Full Story by Mona Moore
The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.