The Legendary James Brown Dies Christmas Day at age 73.

Brown was admitted to the Emory Crawford Law Hospital in Atlanta,Georgia on December 24th, 2006 after a dentist visit where he was found to have severe pneumonia. Brown died the next day on December 25th 2006 around 1:45 a.m. (06:45 UTC) of heart failure. Mr.Brown had diabetes and prostate cancer that was in remission. Three days before his death, he had joined volunteers at his annual toy giveaway in Augusta, and he told friends he planned to be in New York for a New Year's Eve performance.

James Brown was born in South Carolina spending most of him time helping his family pick cotton and shinning shoes downtown. When he was sixteen he was convicted of armed robbery and was sent to a juvenile detention center upstate in Tocca. While he was in prison he met with Bobby Byrd, who helped shorten his sentence to 3 years. When he came back home he sang with Bobby's sister Sarah in a church band called The Gospel Starlighters.

He soon got signed with King Records and began his career making hit after hit. His first hit was "Try Me in 1956 and his last hit was in 1988 called "Static". The 2006 Seven Decades Of Funk World Tour was to be his last performing all over the world. His last performance was in Ireland at the Oxegen Festival in Punchestown this year.

In 1988, he was arrested following a high-speed car chase down Interstate 20 in Augusta. He was sent to prison for threatening people with firearms and abuse of PCP, he was suppose to do 6 years but being that he is "The Godfather of Soul" he got out after 3 years. Even though he was arrested for drug possession and domestic abuse a few more times following his first offence, he was still an influence to many artists such as Michael Jackson, Temptations-David Ruffin, Edwin Starr,Sly and his Family stone and Dennis Edwards.

His many achievements and awards consist of:
The Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame in New York January 23, 1986
He was given a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 34th annual Grammy Awards February 25, 1992. Exactly a year later he received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 4th annual Rhythm & Blues Foundation Pioneer Awards. On November 14, 2006 he was inducted to the UK Music Hall Of Fame and performed for the ceremony and In 1997 the House of Representatives authors a resolution commending James Brown as a "musical genius."

There was a press conference today at 4:30pm at The Hyatt Regency Hotel in Downtown Atlanta discussing his life, legacy and passing. In attendance was his manager Frank Copsidas, his personal manager Charles Bobbit and The Reverend Al Sharpton.
As the most sampled artist of our time and with the slogan "Say it loud I'm Black and I'm Proud, he will never be forgotten.