The Godfather of Soul

Many years ago there was a poor, young man who got into a lot of trouble. It seemed like he was always doing the wrong thing. He stole things and even went to jail. This young man was able to turn his life around and become one of the greatest performers in American history.


His name was James Brown.


James was born in 1933 to a very poor family in South Carolina. His parents divorced, and he lived with his father. When James was around seven years old, he and his father moved to Georgia. James dropped out of school in the seventh grade. He started doing small jobs for money, including singing and dancing. He also turned to crime. Young James was sent to jail for armed robbery.


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