James Brown

James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American musician. Known as the central progenitor of funk music, Brown was a major figure in 20th-century music. Throughout his career, he influenced the development of several music genres. Brown rose to prominence in the mid-1950s as the lead singer of the Famous Flames, a rhythm and blues vocal group. With hit ballads like 'Please, Please, Please' and 'Try Me', Brown established himself as a dynamic live performer. He earned various honorific nicknames, including 'the Hardest-Working Man in Show Business', 'Godfather of Soul', 'Mr. Dynamite', and 'Soul Brother No. 1'. James Brown was one of the first 10 inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.