The Life of James Brown

For three decades, James Brown dominated the changing face of post-war popular black music. Others were as inspirational in the short term, and several of his successors have been bigger pop stars, but none match Brown's independent authority, sustained influence, or commercial longevity. But while another generation danced to the pulse of James Brown, at the end of the eighties the man himself was back in a southern U.S. jail, a country mile or so from where he was first incarcerated in his teens. Between the two internments is the compelling story of a man who, by reading from his roots and striving determinedly for himself, came to represent in music and personal power the post-war emancipation of black America. This definitive biography is illustrated with many rare photographs and includes a comprehensive discography.