James Brown and his band greet fans Thursday at World Ribs, Wings and Things in Augusta before heading off for a 10-day tour in Japan.Michael Holohan/Staff

Godfather of Soul off to Japan

James Brown departs for sold-out, 10-day tour, then concerts in Canada, South America

Web posted October 31, 1997

By Willie Mae Worthey
Staff Writer

The Godfather's gone again. On tour, that is.

James Brown and his entourage left for a 10-day Japanese tour late Thursday. Before departing, Mr. Brown and his backup singers, the Bitter Sweets, joined fellow Augustans for a hearty send-off.

``I've got to get my Japanese (language) together,'' Mr. Brown said, laughing with friends and fans. ``All the shows over there are sold out, and that's a blessing. They want the funk, and we're not ashamed to play it and tell them where it's from.''

Mr. Brown and his band have been rehearsing at the Imperial Theatre for the past eight months in preparation for the tour.

After the 10-day Japanese tour, he will perform in Chile, Argentina, Brazil and Canada, which are also sold out, he said.

Mr. Brown mingled with fans outside World Ribs, Wings and Things, on East Boundary Street. The restaurant is one of Mr. Brown's investments and is co-owned and managed by his son-in-law Shawn Thomas.

Mr. Brown sat around eating wings and chatting with friends before boarding his tour bus headed for the airport in Atlanta.

The Godfather boasted about his Augusta roots and talked about plans he recently finalized to make a movie about his life, part of which will be filmed in the Garden City.

``Augusta is my home, and it's where I got my smarts from to go on to the big city,'' he said. ``They got the same things in a small city they got in the big city. Just got more of it.''

Mr. Brown said he will be performing in four upcoming films, including his biography, James Brown: The Godfather of Soul. The next one will be released in February, Blues Brothers 2000.