The Founding Father of Funk

When I first moved to Los Angeles, I had the great honor of photographing the one, the only "The Godfather of Soul" - James Brown. My dear friend Darren Wong, who was working for Capitol Records at the time, had procured the gig for me.

I am more than happy to photograph bands on stage but as a Rock Photographer, my main interest is in photographing portraits of musicians off stage rather than on. The magic of their talents are still felt in the shot but sometimes you're not sure why. It's that tension that makes the shot timeless for me. But all of that changed the moment I saw Mr. Brown performing through my lens.

There is a reason people are famous. Hard work met with timing and talent are usually the case. That night at The House of Blues on the Sunset strip, I was humbled to capture the founding father of funk, a true performers performer, live on stage and in high gear - Doing It to Death!

Give It Up Or Turn It a Loose,

Julie Green

December 5, 2015