James Brown

James Brown
May 3, 1933
Barnwell, South Carolina

This double Taurus was Soul Brother Number One.

Say it loud ... I'm black and I'm proud.

Charter member James Brown was tapped into the Rock and Roll hall of fame at the first induction dinner, January 23, 1986, in New York City. Entertainment Weekly named him the 7th Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Artist of all time. Known as the Godfather of Soul, he once said, 'Money won't change you, but time will take you out.' James Brown died on Christmas day, 2006. He was 73.

Born during the Great Depression in South Carolina, James Joseph Brown was raised nearby in Augusta, Georgia. Poverty forced him into the cotton fields as a boy. He danced for spare change. 'I used to shine shoes on the front steps of an Augusta, Georgia radio station,' he recalled. 'Now I own that radio station.' A lot happened in between.

He wound up in reform school when he was sixteen. There he met Bobby Byrd and the two formed a lifelong friendship. Byrd was the leader of a group called the Gospel Starlighters. In 1953 Brown joined the Starlighters. It wasn't long before the group started playing Rhythm and Blues and changed its name to the Famous Flames. In 1955 they recorded 'Please Please Please.' The song hit Number 5 on the R and B Charts.

In 1957 James Brown and the Famous Flames finished Little Richard's tour dates when Little Richard left Rock 'n' Roll for religion. Some of Richard's Upsetters joined the Famous Flames. In 1962 Brown spent his own money to record his October 24 show at New York City's Apollo Theatre. 'Live at the Apollo' took the Number 2 spot on Billboard's Album Chart.

Richie Unterberger on AOL's All Music Guide wrote, 'Brown's performances were marvels of athletic stamina and split-second timing.

'Through the gospel-impassioned fury of his vocals and the complex polyrhythms of his beats, Brown was crucial in not just one, but two revolutions in American black music. He was one of the figures most responsible for turning R and B into soul; he was, most would agree, the figure most responsible for turning soul music into the funk of the late '60s and early '70s.'

With his Sun in Taurus, Brown was a steadfast and patient soul, capable of tremendous endurance and devotion. The ability to follow through was one of his greatest assets. He had a very practical nature and wanted to see tangible results for his efforts. He also had a great love of the physical world and wanted to enjoy it to the full. Though he worked long and hard, he had a strong sensual, comfort-loving side. He wanted to enjoy what he had worked for. In fact, he had a tendency to overindulge in good food and other earthly pleasures.

He also loved the beauty of the natural world and may have preferred the country to the city. His needs were simple and he was easy to please. He had a strong desire for security, stability and peace. He was not very demanding emotionally, though he did crave lots of physical closeness and affection. Because of his faithfulness, emotional steadiness and gentle strength, others often depended upon him for support. He had an innate sense of harmonizing with nature, allowing things to grow and unfold in their own time. He had the patience to nurture something into being -- a garden, a child or a creative project. He had six children and was an excellent father, especially when he followed his instincts.

Sun conjunct Venus means he tended to see things from his perspective only. He enjoyed expressing his views but didn't always listen as well. He had a clear mind, a love of learning and of new experiences and needed constant mental stimulation.

With Sun trine Jupiter he had big aspirations. His self-confidence and inner harmony attracted success to him in an almost magical way. His optimism and cheerful generosity won him many allies.

Sun aspects Jupiter and Saturn suggests he also had a heavier side which kept his optimism from becoming overblown. He didn't rely on good luck or grace alone, and he accepted the need for hard work. Indeed, he was 'the hardest working man in show business.' On his official website (godfatherofsoul.com) he states, 'I would like to pass on the want to do something. The need is there. Good lyrics are good things, but I would like to pass on that drive, that vigorous, undying determination.'

Sun square Saturn gave him a cautious, realistic attitude toward life. He was highly responsible and disciplined about his obligations and duties.

Sun trine Neptune shows he was imaginative and sensitive to anything colorful, beautiful or magical. He was attracted to artistic and creative activities, music and mysticism. His spiritual values colored his whole perspective and approach to life. 'Thank God that I had the ability to understand that I had a different beat,' he once said, 'and that I was a drummer.'

Mercury in Aries means he was outspoken and direct, always eager to express his ideas and opinions. He didn't mind stirring up a little controversy. He had fresh, original ideas and much enthusiasm for anything new and untried. He spoke decisively and convincingly about things he believed in. The Godfather of Soul website states that in the 1960s, 'Mr. Brown's commitment to the ideals of the American dream impelled him to give performances in Vietnam -- despite the lack of popular domestic support for the war effort.'

Mercury conjunct Uranus made him an independent and original thinker. He was excited by new ideas, discoveries and innovations. His mind functioned in an intuitive, nonlinear fashion. Insights and ideas often came to him in a flash.

Mercury square Pluto indicates he was never satisfied with the face value of anything. Though he rarely revealed his own, he was always probing beneath the surface for deeper, hidden motives. He was drawn to anything secret or mysterious. He was also a forceful and convincing speaker or writer, with the ability to influence people's thinking by the sheer power of his conviction. 'We need to protect the kids by giving them something to do,' he said after children were killed in a school shooting. 'It's about making them interested, making them love mom and dad more, love the family more, love themselves more and love their school. So there won't have to be killing in school.'

Venus in Taurus dictates that in love, he was dedicated and loyal. He was very sensually oriented and needed a lot of touching and physical affection. He enjoyed being pampered. He was a wonderful lover, very attentive to the contentment and enjoyment of the one he loved. He was tremendously responsive to beauty.

In 1954 he married Velma Warren. They had three children and were divorced in 1969. He married Deidre Jenkins on February 6, 1971. They had two children and were divorced in 1981. He was married to Adrienne Rodriguez from 1984 until her death in 1996.

Married on January 15, 2002, James and Tommy Rae Brown were together until his death. They had one son, James Brown II, born June 11, 2001.

Venus trine Jupiter reveals he appreciated beautiful surroundings and congenial company. Although he enjoyed helping people he kept his philanthropic side to himself.

Venus aspects Jupiter and Saturn means his pleasure-loving nature and his generosity were counterbalanced by a certain restraint in expressing his affection -- and by a fear of heartache. At times he was likely to be a jovial, friendly, extravagant person and at other times he was far more contained. Because he was upbeat and fun-loving, people probably did not suspect how sensitive he was to being left out or unappreciated.

With Mars in Virgo he was a perfectionist with high standards for his own work. Doing a task well was very important to him. He strove for efficiency and precision and became very irritable when things were not done 'right.' He was such a demanding disciplinarian that his band quit in 1969, leading him to seek out a couple of young musicians from Cincinnati -- guitarist Catfish Collins and bassist Bootsy Collins. The Collins brothers brought deeper funk to Brown's music. After about a year they went on to join the Parliament/Funkadelic 'axis' while most of Brown's original band returned to the fold. A lot of credit for the sound he created rightfully belongs to his band members -- saxophonists Maceo Parker, St. Clair Pinckney and Pee Wee Ellis; guitarist Jimmy Nolen, drummer Clyde Stubblefield and dear friend, singer Bobby Byrd.

About the Funk, Brown had this to say: 'Funky is about the injustices, the things that go wrong, the hungry kids going to school trying to learn. 'Funky' is about what it takes to make people move - take it from the gospel, from the jazz'.

Jupiter in Virgo indicates his ability to think things through clearly was highly developed. He had a modest nature and was more concerned with the success of his work than with personal aggrandizement. He enjoyed working and was happiest when he was being productive and using his time efficiently.

Jupiter conjunct Neptune blessed him with an unusually expansive, far-reaching outlook on life. Brown racked up a total of 116 R and B hits, holding the Number One spot in lifetime hits when he died. He was given a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 34th Annual Grammy Awards in 1992. The next year he received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the fourth annual Rhythm and Blues Foundation Pioneer Awards.

Mars conjunct Neptune gave him a very active and fertile imagination. He had a strong desire to act out his fantasies, as in the song, 'This Is A Man's World.' Ordinary life seemed drab to him. He needed a big dream to live for.

Brown holds the Number Two spot for all time hit records, right behind Elvis Presley. About Elvis, he declared, 'I wasn't just a fan, I was his brother. He said I was good and I said he was good; we never argued about that. Elvis was a hard worker, dedicated, and God loved him. Last time I saw him was at Graceland. We sang 'Old Blind Barnabus' together, a gospel song. I love him and hope to see him in heaven. There'll never be another soul brother like that.'