TRANSCRIPT:
Hi, I’m Mark Rapp, and this is Rapp on Jazz.
In 1962, James Brown made the leap from rising star to musical icon with a single performance at midnight in the Apollo Theater. The live album that followed, "Live at the Apollo", is still regarded as one of the greatest performances in music history.
This concert propelled Brown from small clubs and roadhouses to major venues. Then, in 1965, he released two chart-topping singles: "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" and "I Got You (I Feel Good)." These songs combined elements of gospel, soul, rhythm, and blues with syncopated, funky grooves, laying the foundation for funk music.
Brown’s sound transformed popular music, and his influence extended across genres, from jazz to hip-hop. Although he traveled the world, his legacy remains deeply connected to Beach Island, South Carolina, where he is buried.
This has been Rapp on Jazz, a co-production of ColaJazz and South Carolina Public Radio, made possible by the ETV Endowment of South Carolina.