Europe's raves far cry from James Brown's Toccoa days

It was 55 years ago this summer that James Brown broke into a car on upper Broad Street and was caught.

It can be argued that if Mr. Brown, then 16, hadn't broken into that car, he might have stayed a poor musician struggling in Augusta and might have taken some menial job to support his family.

That break-in, though, led to career breaks for Mr. Brown that have made him an artist of international stature. Last week, the 71-year-old completed a triumphant, monthlong tour of six European countries.

Richmond County Superior Court Judge Grover C. Anderson accepted Mr. Brown's guilty plea June 13, 1949, to four cases of breaking and entering and larceny from an automobile and sentenced him to serve two to four years in each case consecutively.

Mr. Brown was transferred to a juvenile detention center in Toccoa, Ga., where he served two years (he was paroled for good behavior June 14, 1952).

He met another soulful singer in Toccoa, Bobby Byrd, and joined Mr. Byrd's gospel and blues group. Little Richard heard the group and urged the members to move to his hometown of Macon, Ga.

Known as The Famous Flames, the group recorded Mr. Brown's composition Please, Please, Please at a Macon radio station, which launched Mr. Brown's extensive recording career. Now, Mr. Brown has again become the toast of Europe.

"Jump back and kiss yourself two times because James Brown, The Godfather of Soul, played Vicar Street to three generations of dedicated fans last night," The Web site ShowbizIreland.com reported June 25 of his Dublin concert. "The crowd screamed as the living legend which is James Brown glided across the floor on Vicar Street.

"One of the greatest showmen to ever grace a stage, James still has the energy and moves to keep his fans from three generations on their feet and getting down to his many hits."

Leon McDermott wrote in the Glasgow Sunday Herald, "In a silver and grey suit, his hair an immobile helmet that looks bound by a good litre of hair spray, he's still got the Brown smile, a wide, blinding grin that says he's here to entertain."

Although Europe is falling at Mr. Brown's feet and lauding his accomplishments, folks in his hometown are debating whether to put up a statue to him.

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Don Rhodes has been writing about country music for 33 years. He can be reached at (706) 823-3214 or don.rhodes@morris.com.