December 25, 2006 - James Brown, musical innovator, inimitable entertainer and self-prescribed "Godfather of Soul," died early Christmas Day at the age of 73.
Brown's agent Frank Copsidas said the singer was hospitalized with severe pneumonia on Sunday, and died around 1:45 a.m. ET on Monday, reports the Associated Press.

Copsidas said longtime friend Charles Bobbit was by Brown's side when he died at Emory Crawford Long Hospital in Atlanta, Ga. James Joseph Brown, Jr. is widely considered one of the most seminal, influential figures in 20th century music.
He had a raspy, gospel-style voiced that, combined with a horn-section that punctuated his funky, frenetic rhythms, evolved into a distinct, revolutionary style of music.

He recorded more than 50 albums and had well over 100 songs that hit the charts, including "I Got You (I Feel Good)," "(Get Up I Fell Like Being a) Sex Machine" and "Out of Sight."

His classic "Say It Out Loud -- I'm Black and I'm Proud" became a landmark statement of racial pride when it came out in 1968.

"I clearly remember we were calling ourselves coloured, and after the song, we were calling ourselves black," Brown told the Associated Press in an interview in 2003.
"The song showed even people to that day that lyrics and music and a song can change society."

Brown was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 and won a Grammys lifetime achievement award in 1992.

Not only was he a prolific singer and songwriter, he was also a record producer, businessman and bandleader who is credited with influencing a new generation of African American music that reaches all the way to rap and hip-hop today.
"James presented obviously the best grooves," rapper Chuck D of Public Enemy once told The Associated Press.

"To this day, there has been no one near as funky. No one's coming even close."

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