Image: Wikimedia Commons

James Brown

American musician (1933–2006)

PersonDied aged 73humanQ5950

Also known as The Godfather of Soul · Mr. Dynamite · Soul Brother #1ffff

Born: May 3, 1933
10
Sources
1.Stated in Integrated Authority FileRetrieved 2014-04-09
2.Stated in IMDbRetrieved 2015-10-14
3.Stated in BnF authoritiesRetrieved 2015-10-10
4.Stated in Encyclopædia Britannica OnlineRetrieved 2017-10-09
5.Stated in SNACRetrieved 2017-10-09
6.Stated in Internet Broadway DatabaseRetrieved 2017-10-09
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Died: December 25, 2006
12
Sources
1.nytimes.com/2006/12/26/arts/music/26brown.html
2.Stated in Integrated Authority FileRetrieved 2014-04-09
3.Stated in IMDbRetrieved 2015-10-14
4.Stated in BnF authoritiesRetrieved 2015-10-10
5.Stated in Encyclopædia Britannica OnlineRetrieved 2017-10-09
6.Stated in SNACRetrieved 2017-10-09
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Birthplace: Barnwell
1
Sources
1.Stated in Great Norwegian EncyclopediaRetrieved 2026-10-17
View statement on Wikidata ↗
, Augusta
1
Sources
1.Stated in Biographical Dictionary of Afro-American and African Musicians
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Place of death: Atlanta
3
Sources
1.Stated in Integrated Authority FileRetrieved 2014-12-30
2.Stated in Find a GraveRetrieved 2025-08-12
3.Stated in Great Norwegian EncyclopediaRetrieved 2026-10-17
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Citizenship: United States
1
Sources
1.Stated in LIBRISRetrieved 2018-08-24
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Occupation: singer-songwriter
, singer
1
Sources
1.Stated in Integrated Authority FileRetrieved 2026-04-20
View statement on Wikidata ↗
, composer
1
Sources
1.Stated in Integrated Authority FileRetrieved 2026-04-20
View statement on Wikidata ↗
+9 more
Spouse: Tomi Rae Hynie(2001–2006)
, Velma Warren(1953–1969)
, Deidre Jenkins(1970–1981)
+1 more
Height: 1.68 m
1
Sources
1.bodysize.org/fr/james-brown/
View statement on Wikidata ↗

Overview

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · Read full article · Text CC BY-SA 4.0

James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, musician, and record producer. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th-century music, he is referred to by various nicknames, among them "Mr. Dynamite", "the Hardest-Working Man in Show Business", "Minister of New Super Heavy Funk", "Godfather of Soul", "King of Soul", and "Soul Brother No. 1". In a career that lasted more than 50 years, he influenced the development of several music genres. Brown was one of the first ten inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on January 23, 1986. His music has been heavily sampled by hip-hop musicians and other artists.

Overview

Life at a glance

Positions, education, employers and awards over time

Spans and dates from Wikidata qualifiers (start/end/point in time). Hover for details; click to open.

Appears in

18 linked to James Brown in Wikidata

Produced

11 linked to James Brown in Wikidata

Composed

15 linked to James Brown in Wikidata

Author of

2 linked to James Brown in Wikidata

Performed

210 linked to James Brown in Wikidata

Show all 210

Love Over-Due(1991)
(So Tired of Standing Still We Got to) Move On(1991)
Roots of a Revolution(1989)
Soul Session Live(1989)
Gimme Your Love(1989)
Static(1988)
I'm Real(1988)
I'm Real(1988)
Motherlode(1988)
Live at Chastain Park(1988)
How Do You Stop(1987)
Gravity(1986)
Gravity(1986)
In the Jungle Groove(1986)
Living in America(1985)
Unity(1984)
Bring It On!(1983)
Bring It On...Bring It On(1983)
My Guy(1981)
James Brown concert(1981)
Stay With Me(1981)
Nonstop!(1981)
Live in New York(1981)
The Blues Brothers(1980)
Regrets(1980)
Rapp Payback (Where Iz Moses)(1980)
Soul Syndrome(1980)
People(1980)
Hot on the One(1980)
The Original Disco Man(1979)
Star Generation(1979)
It's Too Funky in Here(1979)
The Spank(1978)
Jam 1980's(1978)
Take a Look at Those Cakes(1978)
For Goodness Sakes, Look at Those Cakes(1978)
Eyesight(1978)
Solid Gold: 30 Golden Hits(1977)
Mutha's Nature(1977)
Give Me Some Skin(1977)
Kiss in 77(1977)
If You Don't Give a Doggone About It(1977)
Bodyheat(1976)
Hot(1976)
Bodyheat(1976)
I Refuse to Lose(1976)
Get Up Offa That Thing(1976)
Get Up Offa That Thing(1976)
Sex Machine Today(1975)
Superbad, Superslick(1975)
Hot (I Need to Be Loved, Loved, Loved, Loved)(1975)
Everybody's Doin' the Hustle & Dead on the Double Bump(1975)
Hustle!!! (Dead on It)(1975)
Funky President (People It's Bad) / Coldblooded(1974)
Funky President (People It's Bad) / Coldblooded(1974)
Hell(1974)
Soul Power(1974)
Reality(1974)
Funky President (People It's Bad)(1974)
My Thang(1974)
The Payback(1974)
Reality(1974)
Coldblooded(1974)
Papa Don't Take No Mess(1974)
The Payback(1974)
Stoned to the Bone(1973)
Sexy, Sexy, Sexy(1973)
Slaughter's Big Rip-Off (album)(1973)
Black Caesar(1973)
Woman(1973)
Down and Out in New York City(1973)
Get on the Good Foot(1972)
There It Is(1972)
Talkin' Loud and Sayin' Nothing(1972)
Get on the Good Foot(1972)
I Got a Bag of My Own(1972)
I Got Ants in My Pants(1972)
King Heroin(1972)
What My Baby Needs Now Is a Little More Lovin'(1972)
There It Is(1972)
Sho' Is Funky Down Here(1971)
Revolution of the Mind(1971)
Escape-ism(1971)
Super Bad(1971)
Hot Pants(1971)
Make It Funky(1971)
I'm a Greedy Man(1971)
Hot Pants(1971)
Sex Machine(1970)
Get Up Sex Machine(1970)
It's a New Day – Let a Man Come In(1970)
Soul on Top(1970)
Funky Drummer(1970)
Super Bad(1970)
Santa Claus Is Definitely Here to Stay(1970)
Get Up, Get into It, Get Involved(1970)
Brother Rapp(1970)
Hey America(1970)
It's a New Day(1970)
Hey America(1970)
Ain't It Funky(1970)
I Don't Want Nobody to Give Me Nothing(1969)
The Popcorn(1969)
Soul Pride(1969)
Give It Up or Turnit a Loose(1969)
Mother Popcorn(1969)
It's a Mother(1969)
The Popcorn(1969)
Say It Loud – I'm Black and I'm Proud(1969)
Ain't It Funky Now(1969)
Lowdown Popcorn(1969)
Let a Man Come In and Do the Popcorn(1969)
World(1969)
Gettin' Down to It(1969)
Thinking About Little Willie John and a Few Nice Things(1968)
Say It Loud – I'm Black and I'm Proud(1968)
Tit for Tat (Ain't No Taking Back)(1968)
Live at the Apollo, Volume II(1968)
James Brown Plays Nothing But Soul(1968)
I Can't Stand Myself When You Touch Me(1968)
America Is My Home(1968)
Live at the Boston Garden: April 5, 1968(1968)
Licking Stick – Licking Stick(1968)
I Guess I'll Have to Cry, Cry, Cry(1968)
A Soulful Christmas(1968)
Golden Stag Festival(1968)
There Was a Time(1967)
The James Brown Show(1967)
Cold Sweat(1967)
James Brown Plays the Real Thing(1967)
James Brown Sings Raw Soul(1967)
Get It Together(1967)
Cold Sweat(1967)
Let Yourself Go(1967)
I Can't Stand Myself (When You Touch Me)(1967)
Bring It Up(1967)
Sweet Little Baby Boy(1966)
I Got You (I Feel Good)(1966)
Handful of Soul(1966)
Mighty Instrumentals(1966)
James Brown Sings Christmas Songs(1966)
Don't Be a Dropout(1966)
Money Won't Change You(1966)
James Brown Plays New Breed(1966)
It's a Man's Man's Man's World(1966)
It's a Man's Man's Man's World(1966)
I Got You (I Feel Good)(1965)
Papa's Got a Brand New Bag(1965)
Papa's Got a Brand New Bag(1965)
James Brown Plays James Brown Today & Yesterday(1965)
Out of Sight(1964)
Pure Dynamite! Live at the Royal(1964)
Oh Baby Don't You Weep(1964)
Out of Sight(1964)
Grits & Soul(1964)
Maybe the Last Time(1964)
Showtime(1964)
Prisoner of Love(1963)
Live at the Apollo(1963)
Every Beat of My Heart(1963)
James Brown and His Famous Flames Tour the U.S.A.(1962)
Good, Good, Twistin'(1962)
I've Got Money(1962)
Mashed Potatoes U.S.A.(1962)
Just You and Me, Darling(1961)
Lost Someone(1961)
This Old Heart(1960)
You've Got the Power(1960)
I'll Go Crazy(1960)
I Want You So Bad(1959)
Try Me(1958)
Night Train(1952)
Let Us Go Back to the Old Landmark(1949)
It's Magic(1948)
That's My Desire(1931)
The Popcorn
Funky President (People It's Bad)
Coldblooded
Heat Wave
You Keep Me Hangin' On
Prisoner of Love
Goodbye My Love
Froggy Mix
Gut Bucket
James Brown's Funky Christmas
Ain't That a Groove

Created

1 linked to James Brown in Wikidata

FFuture Shock1970 · television series

Named after them

1 linked to James Brown in Wikidata

FFunkotriplogynium iagobadiustaxon, (Seeman & Walter, 1997) species of triplogyniidae

Founded

3 linked to James Brown in Wikidata

All data

253 statements · 21% with external sources · numbers in brackets are citations

Discography: James Brown discography
Cause of death: pneumonia
heart failure
Given name: James
1
Sources
1.Stated in Integrated Authority FileRetrieved 2015-07-21
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Joseph
Awards: Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award(1992)
Kennedy Center Honors
star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
MOJO Awards
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame(1986)
Genre: soul
1
Sources
1.Stated in Montreux Jazz Festival DatabaseRetrieved 2020-09-24
View statement on Wikidata ↗
funk
doo-wop
blues
gospel music
Manner of death: natural causes
Convicted of: assault
robbery
Instrument: guitar
organ
voice
1
Sources
1.Stated in Montreux Jazz Festival DatabaseRetrieved 2020-09-24
View statement on Wikidata ↗
drum kit
Website: godfatherofsoul.com language: English
Label: Federal Records
King Records
Polydor Records
Philips Records
Ethnic group: African Americans
2
Sources
1.Stated in BlackPast.org
2.Stated in Biographical Dictionary of Afro-American and African Musicians
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Start of work period: 1954
Voice type: baritone
End of work period: 2006
Birth name: James Joseph Brown generational suffix: L252247-F2
Name in native language: James Brown
Family name: Brown
1
Sources
1.Stated in International Standard Name IdentifierRetrieved 2015-07-21
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Sex or gender: male
2
Sources
1.Stated in BnF authoritiesRetrieved 2015-10-10
2.Stated in Integrated Authority FileRetrieved 2024-07-05
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Different from: James Brown criterion used: personal name refers to multiple people
Social media followers: 1,210,000(October 11, 2025) youtube channel id: UCOCZxe0gNRA7c3PGWPGoiGg
1
Sources
1.Stated in YouTube APIRetrieved 2025-10-11
View statement on Wikidata ↗
1,060,000(February 1, 2025) youtube channel id: UCOCZxe0gNRA7c3PGWPGoiGg
1
Sources
1.Stated in YouTube APIRetrieved 2025-02-01
View statement on Wikidata ↗
992,000(October 5, 2024) youtube channel id: UCOCZxe0gNRA7c3PGWPGoiGg
1
Sources
1.Stated in YouTube APIRetrieved 2024-10-05
View statement on Wikidata ↗
899,000(January 16, 2024) youtube channel id: UCOCZxe0gNRA7c3PGWPGoiGg
1
Sources
1.Stated in YouTube APIRetrieved 2024-01-16
View statement on Wikidata ↗
766,000(February 17, 2023) youtube channel id: UCOCZxe0gNRA7c3PGWPGoiGg
655,000(March 17, 2022) youtube channel id: UCOCZxe0gNRA7c3PGWPGoiGg
548,000(July 3, 2021) youtube channel id: UCOCZxe0gNRA7c3PGWPGoiGg
Member of: James Brown & The Famous Flames
Copyright representative: Broadcast Music, Inc.
1
Sources
1.Stated in ISWC NetworkRetrieved 2022-07-18
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Copyright status as a creator: works protected by copyrights applies to jurisdiction: countries with longer than 50 years pma
Mass: 65 kg
1
Sources
1.bodysize.org/fr/james-brown/
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Place of burial: Beech Island
1
Sources
1.Stated in Find a Gravefr.findagrave.com/memorial/17147643/james-brown
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Child: James Brown Jr.

On other databases

176 identifiers linking James Brown across the web's reference databases

Data quality

253

statements

21%

externally sourced

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AIDb. (2026). James Brown (Q5950). Retrieved from https://aidb.si/e/james-brown-Q5950