The “Godfather of Soul” James Brown began his journey with The Famous Flames vocal group in 1953 and became an instant classic in the early 1960s. On the night of October 24, 1962, Brown recorded Live at the Apollo at the Apollo Theater in Harlem at his own expense. The album, released a year later in 1963, featured Brown’s Famous Flames (Bobby Byrd, Bobby Bennett, and Lloyd Stallworth). Though they weren’t credited on the original album cover or label, the Famous Flames played an important role in the live album. King Records initially opposed releasing the live album, until Brown’s manager Bud Hobgood convinced the label otherwise. Three decades later, Live at the Apollo was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Live at the Apollo spent 66 weeks on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart, peaking at #2. The album became so successful that many record stores had to order several cases at a time in order to keep up with the demand. Featuring early hits “I’ll Go Crazy”, “Try Me”, “Please Please Please”, and more, the live versions are exercised between signature funk-infused instrumental bridges that define early James Brown repertoire. In celebration of this quintessential live album, listen to James Brown’s Live at the Apollo below, recorded 55 years ago today:
James Brown & The Famous Flames
James Brown – lead vocals
Bobby Byrd – baritone/bass vocals (and keyboards on “Lost Someone”)
Bobby Bennett – first tenor vocals
Lloyd Stallworth – second tenor vocals
Band
Lewis Hamlin – music director, trumpet[18]
Hubert Perry – bass
Clayton Fillyau – drums
Les Buie – guitar, road manager
Lucas “Fats” Gonder – organ, MC
Clifford MacMillan – tenor saxophone
St. Clair Pinckney – tenor saxophone
Al “Brisco” Clark – tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone
William Burgess – alto saxophone
Dickie Wells – trombone
Roscoe Patrick – trumpet
Teddy Washington – trumpet