Pappa’s got nothing left in the bag…James Brown’s Legacy reduced to 4 hrs 18 min and a bit over $856,000

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Soul Brother Number One, Mr. Dynamite, The Hardest Working Man in Show Business, Minister of The New Super Heavy-Heavy Funk, Mr. Please, Please, Please himself, James Brown.

This week I had some time on my hands and living in NYC that’s a rare thing during the middle of the week. I was meeting someone for lunch and as I passed Christies auction house, I realized that this was the same day James Brown’s things were going up for auction. Seeing that fate had everything to do with me being in this space, on this day and time I went inside. Family squabbles and bad accounting have taken – literally the coat off his back, shoes off his feet and sold it to the highest bidder.

If you’ve never been to Christies it can be a bit daunting. After all, next to Sotheby’s (NO, I don’t have the money to spend there either) auction house, Christies is famous for auctioning off some of the worlds most prized possessions. Some of the ‘elite’ sell while others shop here for ‘bargains’…if you call priceless paintings and gems big enough to choke a cow with price tags to match a bargain. Guess that means they won’t take my priceless stuffed animal collection – oh well, their loss.

It was really interesting to see who was in the crowd also searching for a bargain. Nikki Hilton (yes of Paris/Nikki fame) was there I don’t know if she purchased anything. I do know Paul Shaffer who is the band leader for “Late Show with David Letterman” purchased the medical bracelet that James wore right before his death in 2006 for $32,000. This was the surprise sale of the day because it went for more than 100 times its presale estimate. A bit morbid I think, but hey it was for sale. Nelson George who has written several books on the music industry and a former college mate of mine was there, as well as Sanford Rubenstein who is the lawyer for Rev. Al Sharpton (and is often seen standing right behind Sharpton at press conferences). Maybe he was there to represent the interest of the Brown family (or bid on something for Al), I don’t know and I didn’t ask.

In the end, the remains of James Brown's estate raised more than $856,688 for his creditors. NONE of the sales received (of course sans the fee Christies charges) will go to the family. A denim outfit he wore for the 1974 "Rumble in the Jungle" concert in Zaire sold for $25,000 and a blue satin cape embroidered with "Thy Name Is Godfather of Soul" was sold for $35,000 (happened to bid on this one, but knew I wouldn’t get it, but it was fun just to have the experience). Here is just a sample of some of the other things that were on the block and what they sold for:

His custom made Chrysler Limousine Imperiale ($72,334); a signed letter from former President Ronald Regan ($1,000); a favorite of everyone in the room the GFOS Jumpsuit which went for $25,000. Oh….in case you’re wondering what GFOS means, “God Father Of Soul” which Mr. Brown definitely was. An autographed photo from Snoop Dog to James ($875); ‘Sex Machine’ leather belt ($4750); 1996 USA Olympic Jacket ($625); Academy of Music Awards ($1625); Dome Hair Dryer (10,625); Rock and Roll Hall of fame award ($3,750) and the two that broke my heart The 2003 Kennedy Center Honor Award ($12,500) and Hair Supplies (80 hair rollers, picks, combs, etc., 11 cans and bottles of hair products used by James Brown, and a Polaroid of Brown wearing similar rollers) ($6,000). Furs, James Brown Dolls, City Proclamations, Childhood photos, love notes, Jumpsuits and shoes in every color of the rainbow and capes to match were for sale. What is sad is that the man that truly helped shape the music and dance of several generations only raised $857,000 which was short of the $1 million - $2 million they forecast.


There will be no Graceland to contain the clothes and furs and costumes and gold records and awards and record collection and personal photos and handwritten love notes and jail records dispersed at the sale. As lover of music, it was really sad to see that someone that was so great, such an innovator in music and dance style was reduced to this. Before there was Michael Jackson, Usher, Mario, Ne-Yo, there was the original James Brown. His ability to move across the stage has literally set the stage for musicians/dancers of today. Click here to see a James Brown Dance lesson.

The man that took an aspirin with breakfast and 50mg of Viagra before every show (“He thought it gave him extra energy.”) died Christmas Day 2006 at the young age of 73. Like the deaths of so many great musicians it was a sad day.

Some of my favorite clips (THANK YOU YOUTUBE) are of James with another great Pavarotti singing “This is a Man’s World”, James singing “Get up offa that thing”, and the classic “Sex Machine” and "I Feel Good". (click on the song titles and you will go directly to the videos – sorry I’ve not learned how to embed them yet)

It’s almost a year and a half later and the Godfather Of Soul still can't rest. Several mistresses, eight mothers of 14 children, 16 grandchildren, 30 lawyers, his valet and an ageing dancer still want a piece of him. Now his bones have been picked over, can you PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let the Godfather rest in peace?