He was one of the figures most responsible for turning R&B into soul and he was, most would agree, the figure most responsible for turning soul music into the funk of the late 60s and early 70s.

Through the gospel-impassioned fury of his vocals and the complex polyrhythms of his beats, Brown was a crucial midwife in not just one, but two revolutions in black American music. And no other musician, pop or otherwise, put on a more exciting, exhilarating stage show: Browns performances were marvels of athletic stamina and split-second timing. Other singers were more popular, others were equally skilled, but few other African-American musicians were so influential over the course of popular music. Dynamite' - those are mighty titles, but no one can question that James Brown earned them more than any other performer. Allmusic Biography : 'Soul Brother Number One,' 'the Godfather of Soul,' 'the Hardest Working Man in Show Business,' 'Mr.