About This Quiz
Mr. Dynamite. Godfather of Soul. You can earn a lot of nicknames in a career spanning half a century. Take our quiz to see how much you know about the music, life and troubles of the great James Brown.James Joseph Brown Jr. entered the world on May 3, 1933, in Barnwell, South Carolina.
When Brown was only four years old, his parents split, and he went to live with his Aunt Honey, who ran a brothel in Augusta, Georgia.
Brown was born in a one-room shack and grew up during the Great Depression, working odd jobs to earn a few pennies to survive.
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Brown was so poor as a child that he wore clothes made from rags and old sacks. His lack of proper clothing got him kicked out of school in the seventh grade.
After he was caught breaking into cars at age 16, Brown spent three years in prison. While behind bars, he met future musical partner Bobby Byrd.
In 1955, Brown joined the Gospel Starlighters. The band later changed their name to the Famous Flames.
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Brown's demo of "Please, Please, Please," which he recorded in 1956, hit No. 6 on the rhythm and blues charts and helped him land his first record deal.
After going solo in 1958, Brown put together a brand-new backing band and recorded "Try Me," which became his first No. 1 hit.
Brown performed five or six nights a week throughout the '50s and '60s, earning him the nickname "The Hardest Working Man in Show Business."
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Against the advice of his label, Brown recorded "Live at the Apollo" during a single night in 1962.
The live album that Brown's label advised against sold more than a million copies and stayed on the pop charts for 14 months — a huge feat for an African-American performer.
"Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" came out in 1965. Many point to this song as the first in the funk genre.
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As race riots raged in April 1968, Brown went on television and prayed for peace. He then had his performances shown live on TV, which kept many of his fans inside glued to the television and away from the dangerous riots.
Brown released a whopping 11 instrumental albums from 1961 to 1971. While none were major successes, they allowed him to show off his skill on piano and organ.
Brown enjoyed numerous hits throughout the early and mid-'70s, but "The Popcorn" came out in 1969.
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An appearance in "The Blues Brothers" as a preacher helped put James Brown back in the spotlight after a period of struggle during the late '70s.
Appearing on "The Original Disco Man," "It's Too Funky in Here" was a major hit for James Brown in 1979.
In 1985, "Living in America" became Brown's biggest hit since the '60s after it appeared in "Rocky IV."
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Brown was part of the very first class of musicians to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.
After a period during which his career was in an upswing, Brown was arrested in 1988 and went on to serve two years in prison.
After losing his wife and suffering through plenty of legal trouble, James Brown released "I'm Back" in 1998.
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"The Next Step," released in 2002, was Brown's final studio album, though he continued touring until his death.
James Brown died on Christmas 2006 of pneumonia and heart failure.
Brown married four times, starting with his first wife, whom in he wed in 1953.
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Despite his years in the industry, Brown never learned to read music.
In a career spanning nearly half a century, Brown picked up just three Grammys, including one for lifetime achievement.
James Brown picked up his first Grammy at age 38 for "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag."
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Brown had seven children but wasn't really close to them. Late in his life, his children were forced to make appointments to see him.
While Brown planned to leave the bulk of his money to needy children, his will was hotly contested, leaving his fortune in limbo a full decade after his death.
"Get On Up," with Chadwick Boseman as James Brown, tells the story of Brown's rise to fame.
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