Obituaries
James Joseph Brown
May 3, 1933 - December 25, 2006
James Joseph Brown
Memorial
Birth: May 3, 1933
Barnwell
Barnwell County
South Carolina, USA
Death: Dec. 25, 2006
Atlanta
Fulton County
Georgia, USA
Singer. Nicknamed included ''Godfather of Soul'' and the ''Hardest Working Man in Show Business'', he was impoverished at birth. Raised by friends and relatives. he spent much time on the street, where he was engaged in various criminal activities. While in reform school, he met Bobby Byrd, whose family rescued him. He joined Byrd's musical group, which ultimately became the ''Famous Flames''. James Brown's first hit with the group was ''Please, Please, Please'' in 1956. His unique dance style was an inspiration for those who came after him, including Michael Jackson and Prince. Married four times, he was accused of abusing his third wife. He also spent time in prison for PCP use, brandishing a firearm in public, and engaging in a high speed chase with police officers. Fifteen years later, the State of South Carolina pardoned him. His career also encompassed acting in several films, notably "The Blues Brothers.
Family links:
Parents:
Joseph Brown (1912 - 1993)
Susie Behling Brown (1916 - 2004)
Spouse:
Adrienne Lois Rodriegues Brown (1950 - 1996)
Children:
Teddy Joseph Brown (1954 - 1973)
*Calculated relationship
Cause of death: Heart failure
Burial:
Thomas Family Home Crypt
Beech Island
Aiken County
South Carolina, USA
Specifically: Temporary burial site
James Brown may be back in the public eye, thanks to a new biopic, but the late music icon is far from resting in peace, according to his widow.
In an interview with MailOnline.com, Tomi Rae Brown detailed for the first time just how complicated things are with BrownâÃÂÃÂs family as she touched on the battle for the soul legendâÃÂÃÂs $65 million fortune as well as how a paternity suit resulted in the dismembering of his body which has been moved 14 times since his death.
Although BrownâÃÂÃÂs biopic, âÃÂÃÂGet On Up,âÃÂàâÃÂÃÂgives a good depiction of my husbandâÃÂÃÂs life,âÃÂàTomi Rae feels all the drama since the singerâÃÂÃÂs death is âÃÂÃÂis more painful and outrageous than anything a scriptwriter could dream up.âÃÂÃÂ
âÃÂÃÂJames would be spinning in his grave if he knew the hell IâÃÂÃÂd gone through over the past eight years,âÃÂàshe told MailOnline.
Since BrownâÃÂÃÂs death on Christmas Day 2006, feuding among the entertainerâÃÂÃÂs children has left Tomi Rae âÃÂÃÂvirtually pennilessâÃÂàas the children âÃÂàlegitimate and otherwise âÃÂàhave launched legal claims on BrownâÃÂÃÂs estate along with lawyers, hangers-on and business associates.
In addition, thereâÃÂÃÂs the situation with BrownâÃÂÃÂs will. According to Tomi Rae, a will leaving half of BrownsâÃÂàfortune to her and the rest to a charitable foundation to help underprivileged children âÃÂÃÂmysteriously disappearedâÃÂàin the days following the legendary entertainerâÃÂÃÂs death. On the flipside is a will Brown signed in 2000 that his children are standing by. That will, which was made before the singer married Tomi Rae and their son James Jr.âÃÂÃÂs birth, lists BrownâÃÂÃÂs six adult children as the beneficiaries.
âÃÂÃÂHe thought he had provided for me and Little Man, as he called our son. But every piece of scum and slime came crawling out of the woodwork the day he died,âÃÂàTomi Rae said. âÃÂÃÂThere have been lawsuits and countersuitsâÃÂæ I know I will prevail eventually, but IâÃÂÃÂm in a living hell.âÃÂÃÂ
The legitimacy of James Jr. as the elder BrownâÃÂÃÂs son has been questioned by the singerâÃÂÃÂs other children, who claim Brown had a vasectomy in the 1980s.
The squabbling ultimately resulted in a judge ordering a DNA test, which confirmed that Brown was James Jr.âÃÂÃÂs father. Despite the verification, the way in which the result was reached is an issue that Tomi Rae gets emotional discussing.
âÃÂÃÂThey couldnâÃÂÃÂt do the normal DNA test because of all the embalming fluid in his body. So they had to cut off his legs to get to his bone marrow,âÃÂàshe revealed. âÃÂÃÂI wept uncontrollably when I found out. My husband, the greatest dancer in the world, had his legs hacked off in death.âÃÂÃÂ
As if enough damage hadnâÃÂÃÂt been done, Tomi Rae goes on to reveal that in the six months after BrownâÃÂÃÂs passing, the singerâÃÂÃÂs body was moved 14 times. It eventually ended up in a temporary grave in the garden of BrownâÃÂÃÂs oldest daughter DeannaâÃÂÃÂs home in Georgia.
âÃÂÃÂThat is the final insult to James,âÃÂàsaid Tomi Rae, who was hired by âÃÂÃÂGet On UpâÃÂàexecutive producer Mick Jagger to be a consultant for the film. The Rolling Stones frontman and Tomi Rae are currently working on a two-hour documentary that will shed light on the story of the drama over BrownâÃÂÃÂs estate.
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