James Brown's calling card could be any number of things. It could be his funk, his soul, his rhythm, or…even his hairdo. But above all else, Brown's calling card has got to be his showmanship. The man could put on a show like no other.
Performing around 300 shows a year at his peak, Brown undeniably earned his title as "The Hardest Working Man in Show Business." And Brown's performances were nothing like those put on today by some rock bands who are content to just go through the motions during their live shows. No, Brown's shows were something else entirely. He was not just a musician; he was an entertainer. Between all his shrieks and screams, whoops and hollers, Brown would shimmy, shuffle, and shake all over the dance floor, throwing in the splits here and there just for good measure. His performance style fused a raw emotive power styled after the black church with the glamour and glitz of pure show business. Over the course of every performance, Brown would shave off anywhere between seven and ten pounds of his body weight. Talk about a workout!
Performing around 300 shows a year at his peak, Brown undeniably earned his title as "The Hardest Working Man in Show Business." And Brown's performances were nothing like those put on today by some rock bands who are content to just go through the motions during their live shows. No, Brown's shows were something else entirely. He was not just a musician; he was an entertainer. Between all his shrieks and screams, whoops and hollers, Brown would shimmy, shuffle, and shake all over the dance floor, throwing in the splits here and there just for good measure. His performance style fused a raw emotive power styled after the black church with the glamour and glitz of pure show business. Over the course of every performance, Brown would shave off anywhere between seven and ten pounds of his body weight. Talk about a workout!