James Brown

One of the most dynamic and innovative figures in American popular music for half a century, "Godfather of Soul" James Brown (1933-2006) profoundly influenced a host of musical genres, from rhythm and blues to hip hop. First climbing the R&B chart with hits like "Please, Please, Please" (1956) and "Try Me" (1958), Brown fueled the emergence of soul and funk in the 1960s by melding high-energy gospel with rhythm and blues. His frenetic performances and over-the-top dance moves earned him a huge following among black and white audiences alike, and a string of smash hits—including "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," "I Got You (I Feel Good)," and "Cold Sweat"—made Brown a staple of Billboard's Top Forty. Equally important, his experimentations with complex, driving rhythms laid the foundation for much of the pop music that followed.