James Brown Is Dead

  James Brown, the singer known as the Godfather of Soul, died last night at the age of 73. Brown was hospitalized with pneumonia at Emory Crawford Long Hospital on Sunday and died around 1:45 a.m. Monday. Though his life was often plagued by trouble with drugs and the law, his music influenced disco, rap, and funk and his dancing inspired performers as diverse as Michael Jackson and Mick Jagger.

“‘He was dramatic to the end—dying on Christmas Day,” said the Rev. Jesse Jackson, a friend of Brown’s since 1955. ”Almost a dramatic, poetic moment. He’ll be all over the news all over the world today. He would have it no other way.”

Darren Ressler