The origin of putting the cape on James and the band helping him up is from Southern Gospel, specifically black southern gospel. When in church the band would do a praise break where everyone will dance, jump and scream, and some people will really get into it and start crying or even fall over. Someone comes over and puts a cape on them and helps them up. It sounds really crazy to those who’ve never been to a black church but it comes from African spirituals.

He was the Greatest all time !!! The cape routine he adopted from Gorgeous George the wrestler. He'd been doing the routine for several years.Mick Jagger said the biggest mistake he ever made was coming on after James Brown.

The greatest performer ever......James Brown!

Michael Jackson was a big fan of James Brown since he was a kid. After Michael had a solo career, he to see James Brown perform on small stage. When James saw Michael, he called him up to the stage. Imagine how thrilled Michael was to be on stage with the man he admired since he was a little kid.

James Brown started in 1953. He was second bill on the show in '64 and being a black artist during that time, getting even 2nd to the top bill was reserved to artists like Chuck Berry, Fats Domino and Little Richard at the time.

JAMES BROWN and his original singing group THE FAMOUS FLAMES (BOBBY BENNETT, LLOYD STALLWORTH, and BOBBY BYRD) ...LIVE on the 1964 American International Pictures Concert Film THE T.A.M.I. SHOW !!! (Note) The Famous Flames we’re not just “back up dancers“ for James Brown, because (1) they were a singing group, and I mean a singing group exclusively, the musicians are NOT Famous Flames. And (2) James Brown himself first began his career as a member of the Famous Flames, so they were NOT just “back ups“ because James was a Famous Flame too . James Brown was inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. An induction that was later deemed to be incorrect, because based upon the Hall of Fame‘s 25 year qualification rule, James was still a member of the Famous Flames going back 25 years, to 1961. Consequently, the Flames should’ve been inducted WITH James Brown. They were finally inducted in 2012, as an addendum to Brown’s 1986 solo induction.

The accompanying video makes for a very introspective video - and I LOVE IT!! 👏🏽

Or this - "you might be cool, but you'll never be James Brown cool". He was an amazing performer, and they used to say he was the hardest working man in show business.

James Brown was already very popular in the Black community by this time. In 194, with the advent of "soul" dedicated radio stations James Brown crossed over, in a huge, huge, way, to the "mainstream" White audience of middle America. By the time I started high school in 1966, he was one of the biggest stars to all music audiences. He truly paved the way for the success of Motown and, (later0 Atlantic Stax. He remained at the peak of his career from about 1965 until 1973 or 74. Around then the electronic and psychedlic music of the late 60s and early 70s, had rendered his Jazz-Funk-R&B style somehwat obsolte. He just got old.

James Brown And His Famous Flames had some Rock music hits in the mid-to-late 1950s when he and his group were signed to the Federal Records label, with their biggest hit being their song, “Try Me”. I highly recommend that you react to that song. At the end of their recording contract, James Brown And His Famous Flames signed a contract with the Cincinnati, Ohio based King Records label. All of his 1960s hits were on that record label. At around 1970, King Records wanted to focus on selling re-releases of their music catalog, and with great thanks, they allowed James Brown to sign a new record contract with any label of his choice. He chose to sign a record contract with the Polydor Records label.

The Stones were scheduled to top the show billing but they said they wouldn't go on directly after him. So - there was a half an hour break between when the Stones took the stage! (Also - The house band, known collectively as the Wrecking Crew, was under the musical direction of Jack Nitzsche and included drummer Hal Blaine, electric bass Jimmy Bond, guitarists Tommy Tedesco and Glen Campbell, upright bassist Lyle Ritz, pianist Leon Russell, saxophonist Plas Johnson and others.

This was JB's breakout exposure to a mainstream audience. A year later he put the beat on the one and pioneered Funk with the classic "Cold Sweat". By 66' he ran into a family band on the chitlin circuit called The Jackson 5. The youngest brother ( Michael) used to lay on the floor during James's set and watch only his feet. You can find the Jackson 5 audition on KZfaq where MJ at 8yo is doing a spot on James. In 67'-68' he goes to Minneapolis and let's little kids jump on the stage to dance with him and (you guessed it) one of those kids is Prince.

I have the dvd for the T.A.M.I. Show. I never get tired of seeing this amazing performer! The Rolling Stones where coming out to perform after him. They where not happy that they had to fallow him. I am not surprised!

Legend has it that Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones were supposed to follow this set. After the Godfather's show stopping performance, Jagger turned to his manager and laconically asked "Now how in the (bleep) are we supposed to top that?" The acronym TAMI stood for Teen Age Music International.

I believe that put the fire in his heart for this performance, was he led toon believe he was the closer. But but before preforming they have his spot to The Rolling Stones. They couldn’t match that electricity but Mick Jagger tried, and his chicken dance was born.

The real king! Now this is excellent. Back in those days he really was (and still is) something special!

The famous TAMI SHOW from 1964, where James Brown made a crazy entrance onto the stage with a crazy rhythm on "Out of Sight" and on one foot and then footwork that goes beyond the unimaginable, especially when he slides on the whole scene from left to right crossing his legs and feet at crazy speed, even Mr. Jackson never did it, this is where the audience and viewers saw the extra-terrestrial J.B Elvis Presley will find the idea of ​​this Show with James Brown and the Stones great, especially since it was losing momentum at that time, it is the same producer Steve Binder who will produce Elvis' 1968 show for his comeback special , from there Elvis will be a hit. A wonderful time. Here a colorized video of the TAMI SHOW and J.B's performance on "Out of Sight": kzfaq.info/get/bejne/pp2GqbuL0N6rho0.html James Brown is indeed the first to have developed and invented the rhythm and this Soul-Funk groove, which will then inspire countless artists including Rap. James Brown is the King of Soul, father of Funk and spiritual father of M.Jackson and Prince and the most plundered and sampled artist in the world, with among others Funky Drummer, the drum rhythm, the monstrous groove that will inspire thousands of musicians. I saw James Brown on stage 10 times in Paris, from 1984 to 2004, a nuclear bomb with the presence of his still unrivaled musicians, see Macéo Parker etc. James Brown is and remains the greatest performer on stage (and in the studio), which Mick Jagger and many others will say. Not to mention his very active activities in politics for the defense of black people in the USA (with Sam Cook). He is the only artist and Icon of the black people in the United States, and in a certain way in the world. He's the Boss. I have almost all the James Brown albums with old instrumental vinyls as well, and Mind Power in the JB Paybak album from 73 has an incredible groove with wah wah guitar.

Each of the famous flames where doing different dances steps of the day while James was doing his own thing. They were only in sync when they did the routines together like in night train.

Jackie Wilson was big around this time. But James was big by this time just got bigger as time went on

RIP Brotha J.B. as he was the "Hardest Working Man in Show Business" He Ordained Michael Jackson as his Protege And Michael Jackson named Chris Brown h III s Protege. And "We Pass This Greatness On.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE was his first hit in 1956. NIGHT TRAIN was a hit in 1961. PRISONER OF LOVE was a big hit in 1963. OUT OF SIGHT was his then current hit in 1964.

Before MTV, you had incredible singers who could also dance. Since MTV, you have dancers who try to sing.

Ahahah every time I see that cape... Great reaction and a shout out to the legendary James Brown... The hardest working man in show biz

James Brown noticed when they threw a towel on his back the crowd went crazy. Then he noticed Gorgeous George the wrestler had a cape thrown on him. That’s basically the cape origin story.

Legend brother.bless Pete 🙏 SW18

Was a big James Brown fan. Went to see this movie at the Biltmore theater in Brooklyn. There were some other great acts also but my main attraction was James. And I wasn't disappointed. He was awesome as you can see. Nothing like him. I enjoyed it so much I stayed to watch it a second time. I couldn't believe it when his part was supposed to come on and they cut it out of the movie. Remember the times. I guess they couldn't take this black man working everybody into a frenzy, including the white girls in the audience. I was pissed. I was only about 14 or 15 at the time but if I was a little older I think I would have ran up to the projector room and strangled that man. Became a James Brown fan after hearing his "Live At the Apollo 1962" album. A true classic. Raw and soulful. Listened to it with the lights off, closed my eyes and I felt I was there in that audience. Great, great album.

Most young people today, do not remember, or even knew, that James Brown first began his career as a *member* of a vocal group... nor do they remember, or too young to know, that his original nickname was “Mr Dynamite” . All they know about James Brown today, is that he was the solo leader of a funk band, called “The Godfather”.A suggestion: go to Wikipedia and look up: “the Famous Flames”, and you will learn about his history with the group that he first started with.

'Hardest working Man in showbusiness'

THEY WERE POPULAR ON RB AND APOLLO LP. THEY DID SHOUT AND SHIMMY ON AMERICAN BANDSTAND AND NIGHT TRAIN. BUT TAMI SHOW MADE CROSS OVER. TO WHITE S TO BUY HIS SINGLES THEN HE ENDED UP ON SKI PARTY WITH I FEEL GOOD. JACKIE WILSON WAS CLOSEST THING TO THIS STUFF. I GET TEARS IN MY EYES EVERY TIME I SEE IT. YOU LIKE TNT SHOW. WATCG FOR RONETTES DOING SHOUT. GREAT DANCING IN THAT ALLSO.

Those are NOT BG DANCERS! THEY ARE THE FAMOUS FLAMES and James Brown is the fourth Flames member.

No MAN’S WORLD would not be on this because that was released in 1966. The songs here are OUT OF SIGHT, PRISONER OF LOVE, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE and NIGHT TRAIN.This is considered the greatest performance of all time by many.

Also if you want to go back to who influenced James Brown then check out the Nicholas Brothers and really be blown away.

And The Rolling Stones wanted to go on Last... How do You follow That

The word you were looking for is "unedited".

Please snow cone 😃😃

Thanks for sharing. James brown saw please please please written on a napkin or something like that and made it a song. 1956

Those “backup dancers” are THE FAMOUS FLAMES…not the musicians.THE FAMOUS FLAMES were The Original Vocal Group that James Brown first began his career with. They are: BOBBY BYRD, BOBBY BENNETT, and LLOYD STALLWORTH. James Brown & The Flames sang on MANY HIT RECORDS TOGETHER for well over a DECADE . The Backup Musicians are NOT Famous Flames. They are the James Brown Orchestra.

Jackie Wilson was a contemporary performer from that period.

You better get your dance steps right if u worked for J.B. had to be TIGHT, or he'd fine your azz for missing a step!!

This was 80 years ago

He was doing the cape before then

The Godfather of Soul! The Hardest Working Man in Show Business! Soul Brother Number One! It was a concert film called the "T.A.M.I. Show" from 1964 and featured performances from several big name stars at the time (like Chuck Berry, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, the Beach Boys, The Supremes and The Rolling Stones!). Also, I ran across this a while ago, dance choreographer Toni Basil (she had that one hit song "Hey Mickey!") worked on the The T.A.M.I. Show and talks about the incredible effect that James Brown's performance had on her: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/qd2RhNun17LLlI0.html

The real Godfather....Sorry Marlon Brando!

Nope. James Brown was the only one. Back then. That’s why he’s the KING. And he was big since 1956 his first million seller please please Please

James influenced so many genres, especially rap..it would not be fresh without Godfather

IAPRICATE YOU WATCH WHOLE THING. BUT THOSE BACK ROUND DANCERS NOT JUST AS GOOD. THERE TERRIFIC. THE FAMOUS FLAMES. JUST AS GREAT AS JAMES IS. THEY WERE HARDEST WORKEN GRPUP EVER