Godfather of Soul gives away 1000 turkeys in hometown, Augusta GA

http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2004-11-23-brown-turkey_x.htm?POE=LIFISVA

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Soul singer James Brown gave away 1,000 turkeys Monday in his annual charity to help feed the needy in his native Augusta.

The line stretched a city block as people waited for the turkey giveaway starting early Monday. The Godfather of Soul arrived at about 12:40 p.m. with his wife, Tomi Rae Brown, and son James Brown Jr.

After greeting the crowd, he sang a few notes with live gospel band there to entertain people waiting. Then he led a prayer, ending with, "Now let's go get some turkey."

Brown said he felt at home seeing people he grew up with at the event. "Just look around and see everybody; this is family. It's not about politics or partying; it's about people. It's a beautiful surprise," he said, shaking hands with people in the crowd.

Today, he's doing that wonderful charity work, helping those who for whatever reason have not attained the level of financial success that he has. Other times, he's getting arrested for domestic violence, drug abuse, assault with a deadly weapon, and other charges I've probably forgotten.

The Godfather of Soul is a living, breathing testament to the duality of man!

I can't think of another public figure in ANY of the arts who works the yin-yang thing like James.

I try to look at things from this viewpoint...he gave the turkeys away in the present moment. Every day is a new opportunity to redeem ourselves. Today, he's doing what is right and admirable.

:toast:

"I got soul...and I'm super bad!"

Yeah, James, I don't think anybody would argue with you in that regard! :headbang:

at least somebody got a free turkey. I didn't see any of the fortune 500 forking out free birds.

That is what counts.

In late 1962, he gave free coffee to hundreds of fans who waited outside the Apollo Theater in freezing-cold temperatures to see him perform.

Later in the '60s, he worked with the Johnson administration to encourage young people--African-Americans in particular--to stay in school. Brown wrote and recorded "Don't Be A Dropout," the profits from which he donated to an education organization whose name unfortunately eludes me at this time.

The night after Martin Luther King was killed, Brown--who was scheduled to give a conert in Boston--instead performed free of charge on that city's PBS affiliate, WGBH-TV, in an attempt to keep riots from breaking out in Boston. And it worked!

In the early '70s, Brown spoke out against drug abuse, which culminated in his 1972 recording of "King Heroin." How tragically ironic that in the '80s Brown himself succumbed to drug addiction.

Keep on keepin' on, Godfather!