South Carolina service for Godfather of Soul

 

South Carolina service for Godfather of Soul Last Updated: Friday, December 29, 2006 | 5:29 PM ET CBC Arts

Close friends and family bade a more subdued farewell to soul legend James Brown at his private memorial service Friday.

The gold casket bearing Brown's body arrived at Carpentersville Baptist Church in in North Augusta, South Carolina — located near Augusta, Georgia, where Brown was raised.

 

After the public ceremony for James Brown at the Apollo Theater in New York City, seen here, a private service was held in a church in South Carolina on Friday.
(Frank Franklin II/Associated Press)

The church service came after Brown lay in repose at New York's historic Apollo Theater, where he had made his debut in 1956, recorded a hit live album in 1962 and where an exuberant crowd of thousands paid final respects to the Godfather of Soul on Thursday.

 

Rev. Al Sharpton was joined at the funeral Friday by some of the musician's other prominent friends, including boxing promoter Don King and comedian Dick Gregory.

Eventually, hundreds of friends, relatives and onlookers gathered to wait outside the small red-brick church that hosted the second ceremony, part of a three-day farewell planned for Brown.

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Another public viewing is scheduled for Saturday at the James Brown Arena in Augusta.

Brown died of heart failure Monday. He was 73.

Show will go on for funk band

Brown's agent, Frank Copsidas, confirmed that the singer's 11-member funk band would continue to tour and said that Brown had advised him to "take care of them. They're family. They're like my kids."

 

On Thursday, thousands gathered at the historic Apollo Theater to bid farewell to the Godfather of Soul.
(Mary Altaffer/Associated Press)

Because Brown was regularly on tour — he had been scheduled to perform on New Year's Eve — his death came as a shock to many, despite his being 73.

 

However, Bassist Fred Thomas said he had seen Brown's health deteriorate from the effects of heart disease and diabetes.

Thomas said he had advised the singer to hold back a bit on stage, but Brown would always go on and dance like he was 16 again, the bassist recalled.

"To the last show, to see how hard he worked was incredible," Thomas said in an interview. "You couldn't stop him."