Get up! (get on up)

Woodstock Festival, 1999. James Brown kicks off the festivities with backup singers dressed likes mermaids, a bit of crazytalk and a whole lotta exacting showmanship. He sang “Sex Machine,” “I Feel Good,” and covered “Foxy Lady” in a nod to Jimi Hendrix. I was there for Woodstock.com, and it was my birthday. Sweet.

The Godfather of Soul was a brilliant artist who changed the course of American music. He was also a madman who was doing PCP at 54 and who knows what else for how long, all the while performing like a master. He died yesterday; now we’ll never have a funky president.

About the author

I like sitting in Jack Webb's booth.