Music legend James Brown died quietly on Christmas, which is a shock. His unbelievable energy and larger-than-life persona suggested that he would leave the earth with as much dramatic flair as he brought to the stage.
In fact, it's easier to imagine a factotum slinging a cape over Brown's shoulders and escorting him to the backstage in the sky than thinking of him taking his last breaths in a hospital, just like an ordinary guy.
Brown transformed music and gave it heart, and his theatricality added to his legend. He teased the crowd and gave them far more than they paid for. Even when he was bad, it was easy to forgive and forget. He always seemed so close to bursting out of his skin, he was a man on the edge, and that was a great part of his success.
That intense personality may have served to unite Boston after the assassination of Martin Luther King in 1968. The Phoenix ranked Brown's show at Boston Gardens the day after the assassination as Boston's number-one concert - and it wasn't just because of the music. Brown not only delivered a performance for the ages, but his powerful presence may have also kept the city from fragmenting in the days immediately after the assassination. Later in 1968, James Brown released "Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud)," cementing his role not just as a musician but as a powerful cultural force.
He wasn't just an entertainer - he was an icon. Even though he hasn't released new music in a long time, his music always bubbled up as a sample or as an undeniable influence, and it will continue to do so.
Image of James Brown from the cover of Live at Chastain Park.
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