James Brown: Musical Pioneer of Soul and Funk

Introduction: An American Icon

James Brown is as much a part of American history as hot dogs at the ballpark. Brown illustrates how one can make something from nothing, American style. He was a musical pioneer, and the timelessness of his work demonstrates that he will remain an icon forever. It is Brown's unique style of music, singing, and dancing that earned him a popularity that still endures today. Brown personified soul and then introduced it to funk. His screams, his moves onstage, and his electrifying presence display musical genius at work.

Brown's Roots and Rise to Fame

Brown was born in 1933 and grew up in poverty. He rose above his circumstances and pursued music while still a teenager. Brown's first group was called the Flames, and the band's first big hit came in 1956 — a song called "Please, Please, Please." David Brackett describes the type of music that Brown and his band performed as establishing:

"What was to become a stylistic trademark: insistent repetition of a single phrase (in this case, the song's title) resulting in a kind of ecstatic trance. This approach and Brown's characteristic raspy vocal timbre and impassioned melismas display his debt to the black American gospel tradition. His stage shows, dancing and inspired call-and-response interactions with the audience also convey the fervour of a sanctified preacher." (Brackett)

This is an accurate description of what Brown sang onstage as well as how he appeared while singing it.

Works Cited

Brackett, David. "James Brown." Grove Music Online. Accessed May 19, 2008.

Danielson, Anne. Presence and Pleasure: The Funk Grooves of James Brown. Connecticut: Wesleyan University Press, 2006.

Elliot, Marc. I Feel Good: A Memoir of a Life of Soul. New York: Penguin Books, 2005.

Kamien, Roger. Music: An Appreciation. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2000.