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Article: Hometown send-off for James Brown.(Main)
- Article from:
- Albany Times Union (Albany, NY)
- Article date:
- December 31, 2006
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Albany Times Union. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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More than 8,500 James Brown fans filled an arena bearing his name Saturday in a final, joyful farewell to the singer that seemed as fitting for a civil rights leader as for the Godfather of Soul.
Mourner Maynard Eaton returned to Brown's hometown of Augusta, Ga., to pay tribute to the musician that he also considered a political figure.
" 'I'm black and I'm proud' was the most influential black slogan of the 1960s," he said, referring to the chorus of the Brown standard "Say It Loud."
Brown's body lay in front of the bandstand in a black jacket and gloves, red shirt and sequined shoes. Fans lined up in the rain before dawn to get in. When ...