James Brown

James Joseph Brown, Jr. was born in Barnwell, South Carolina, but lived with relatives in Augusta, Georgia until age 4. Brown began singing in talent shows as a young child and briefly had a career as a boxer in his teens. Brown was convicted of armed robbery at age 16 and upon his release, joined an R&B group called The Famous Flames, becoming the lead singer. The group came to national attention with ballads like “Try Me.” Brown’s success peaked in the ‘60s with the live album, Live at the Apollo, and by the early 1970s, Brown had established his trademark funk sound with songs like “Sex Machine.” He continued to perform and record until his death in 2006.