Few R&B artists had as many nicknames as Soul Brother No. 1, The Hardest Working Man in Show Business, The Godfather of Soul. James Brown was also known for having an army of funky people supporting his artistry. Some of the Godfather's funky people were singer Lyn Collins, saxophonist Maceo Parker, trombonist Fred Wesley, funky drummer Clyde Stubblefield, and many, many others. Perhaps his most famous funky person was Bobby Byrd.
Bobby was born in Georgia on August 15, 1934. Like many soul singers of his generation, he started in gospel, where he first sang with his baseball buddy, James Brown. The singing group that they led together became The Famous Flames and in 1956 they made their first record, which became a big hit for the group, “Please, Please, Please.”
In 1971 Bobby Byrd and James Brown formed a record label called People Records, which featured performances by singer Vicki Anderson, the JB's, Lyn Collins, and Bobby Byrd himself. Bobby's voice can be heard on many of James Brown's own recordings, especially “Sex Machine.”
Bobby died in Georgia at age 73 on September 12, 2007, less than a year after James Brown passed away. Bobby Byrd's music lives on, especially in hip hop with samples heard in recordings by Eric B. and Rakim and Jay Z.
Listen above.
Recommended Listening
"I Know You Got Soul"
"I Need Help"
"You Got to Have a Job (If You Don't Work You Can't Eat)"
"Sex Machine" (with James Brown)
Deep Cut
"You've Got to Change Your Mind" (with James Brown)
