James Brown
Born into poverty, Brown was convicted of armed robbery at the age of 16 and served three years in a juvenile detention facility. ... The Byrd family helped Brown gain his release by taking him in and helping him find a job. Brown and Bobby Byrd formed their own gospel group, which soon metamorphosed into a soul band, the Flames. Brown played piano and drums and sang alongside Byrd, who would become his longtime collaborator. ... Brown quickly proved to be the most charismatic member of the group, and he soon assembled an act known as the James Brown Revue, complete with his own back-up band, the James Brown Band. ... Known for his energetic performances—he would routinely feign a heart attack at the end of a show before returning for an encore—the flamboyant Brown earned the nickname “Mr.