Editing James Brown (section)

==Later life ==
At the end of his life, James Brown lived in [[Beech Island, South Carolina]], directly across the [[Savannah River]] from [[Augusta, Georgia]].<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Dan|last=Rys|title=Inside James Brown's House: Can It Become the Next Graceland?|url=https://www.billboard.com/business/publishing/james-brown-estate-primary-wave-1235757863/|magazine=Billboard|date=August 22, 2024|access-date=March 17, 2025}}</ref> According to his longtime manager Charles Bobbit, Brown had been living with [[Type 2 diabetes]], which went undiagnosed for years.{{sfn|''Jet''|2003|p=54}} In 2004, Brown was successfully treated for [[prostate cancer]].<ref>[http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=17912 "Singer James Brown prostate cancer surgery successful"] (December 16, 2004). ''Medical News Today''. Retrieved January 10, 2007. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050518081113/http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=17912 |date=May 18, 2005 }}</ref> Regardless of his health, Brown maintained his reputation as the "hardest working man in show business" by keeping up with his grueling performance schedule.

===Illness===
[[File:James Brown Memorial 1.JPG|thumb|James Brown memorial in Augusta, Georgia]]
On December 23, 2006, Brown became very ill and arrived at his dentist's office in [[Atlanta]], Georgia, several hours late. His appointment was for [[dental implant]] work. During that visit, Brown's dentist observed that he looked "very bad ... weak and dazed". Instead of performing the work, the dentist advised Brown to see a physician right away about his medical condition.<ref name="jbdental">Smith, W. (December 26, 2006). [http://www.newyorkbeacon.com/News/Article/Article.asp?NewsID=74983&sID=4 "James Brown, the undeniable 'Godfather of Soul' dead at 73"]{{Dead link|date=May 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, ''The New York Beacon''. Retrieved January 10, 2007.</ref>

The following day, Brown went to the [[Emory Crawford Long Memorial Hospital]] for medical evaluation and was admitted for observation and treatment.<ref name="jbillness">[http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Music/12/24/brown.ailing/index.html "James Brown hospitalized with pneumonia"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061226195051/http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Music/12/24/brown.ailing/index.html |date=December 26, 2006 }} (December 24, 2006), CNN Entertainment News. Retrieved January 9, 2007.</ref> According to Charles Bobbit, his longtime personal manager and friend, Brown had been struggling with a noisy cough since returning from a November trip to Europe. Yet, Bobbit said, the singer had a history of never complaining about being sick and often performed while ill.<ref name="jbdental" /> 

Although Brown had to cancel upcoming concerts in [[Waterbury, Connecticut]], and [[Englewood, New Jersey]], he was confident that the doctor would discharge him from the hospital in time for his scheduled New Year's Eve shows at the [[Count Basie Theatre]] in New Jersey and the [[B. B. King]] Blues Club in New York, in addition to performing a song live on [[CNN]] for the [[Anderson Cooper]] [[New Year's Eve Live (CNN program)|New Year's Eve special]].<ref name="jbillness" /> Brown remained hospitalized and his condition worsened throughout the day.

===Death===
Brown died at approximately 1:45&nbsp;a.m. [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]] (06:45 [[UTC]])<ref name="jbbirthname" /> on Christmas Day 2006, at age 73, from [[congestive heart failure]], resulting from complications of pneumonia. Bobbit was at his bedside<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Music/12/25/james.brown.obit.ap/index.html "Soul 'godfather' James Brown dies"] (December 25, 2006). CNN Entertainment News. Retrieved January 9, 2007. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070121025721/http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Music/12/25/james.brown.obit.ap/index.html |date=January 21, 2007 }}</ref> and later reported that Brown stuttered, "I'm going away tonight", then took three long, quiet breaths and fell asleep before dying.<ref name="cnnbio">[http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Music/12/25/obit.brown/index.html "James Brown, the 'Godfather of Soul,' dies at 73"] (December 25, 2006). CNN Entertainment News. Retrieved January 5, 2007. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081218024125/http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Music/12/25/obit.brown/index.html |date=December 18, 2008 }}</ref>

Then-President [[George W. Bush]] released a statement calling the musician "an American original."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2006/12/25/bush-honors-godfather-of-soul/|title=Bush honors 'Godfather of Soul'|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=December 25, 2006|access-date=September 3, 2024}}</ref>

In February 2019, an investigation by [[CNN]] and other journalists led to suggestions that Brown had been murdered.<ref name="part3" /><ref name="part1" /><ref name="part2" /><ref>{{Cite news|first=Ben|last=Beaumont-Thomas|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/feb/06/james-brown-death-investigate-murder-claims|title=Call to investigate James Brown's death after murder claims|newspaper=The Guardian|date=February 6, 2019|access-date=May 22, 2018|archive-date=February 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190206141153/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/feb/06/james-brown-death-investigate-murder-claims|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/05/us/james-brown-death-questions/index.html |first=Thomas |last=Lake |title=CNN investigation raises questions about the deaths of James Brown and his third wife, Adrienne |work=CNN |date=February 5, 2019 |access-date=July 25, 2021 |archive-date=April 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413090048/https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/05/us/james-brown-death-questions/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Memorial services===
[[File:JB Apollo Memorial.jpg|thumb|The public memorial at the [[Apollo Theater]] in Harlem]]
After Brown's death, his relatives, a host of celebrities and thousands of fans gathered, on December 28, 2006, for a public memorial service at the [[Apollo Theater]] in New York City and, on December 30, 2006, at the [[James Brown Arena]] in [[Augusta, Georgia]]. A separate, private ceremony was held in [[North Augusta, South Carolina]], on December 29, 2006, with Brown's family in attendance. Celebrities at these various memorial events included [[Michael Jackson]], [[Jimmy Cliff]], [[Joe Frazier]], [[Buddy Guy]], [[Ice Cube]], [[Ludacris]], [[Dr. Dre]], [[Little Richard]], [[Dick Gregory]], [[MC Hammer]], [[Prince (musician)|Prince]], [[Jesse Jackson]], [[Ice-T]], [[Jerry Lee Lewis]], [[Bootsy Collins]], [[LL Cool J]], [[Lil Wayne]], [[Lenny Kravitz]], [[50 Cent]], [[Stevie Wonder]] and [[Don King (boxing promoter)|Don King]].<ref name="Mourners">{{cite web |url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/mourners-pay-respects-to-james-brown-at-apollo-theater-public-viewing |title=Mourners Pay Respects to James Brown at Apollo Theater Public Viewing |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210508053642/https://www.foxnews.com/story/mourners-pay-respects-to-james-brown-at-apollo-theater-public-viewing |archive-date=May 8, 2021 |date=December 28, 2006 |work=Fox News |access-date=March 16, 2007 }}</ref><ref name="foxnews.com">[https://www.foxnews.com/story/private-ceremony-held-friday-for-friends-and-family-of-james-brown "Private ceremony held Friday for friends and family of James Brown"]  (December 29, 2006). Fox News. Retrieved March 16, 2007.</ref><ref>[http://www.accesshollywood.com/michael-jackson-attends-james-brown-funeral_article_3296 "Michael Jackson attends James Brown funeral"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110501081211/http://www.accesshollywood.com/michael-jackson-attends-james-brown-funeral_article_3296 |date=May 1, 2011 }} (December 30, 2006). Access Hollywood. Retrieved March 21, 2007.</ref><ref>Anderson, V. (December 30, 2006). [http://www.ajc.com/living/content/living/stories/2006/12/30/1230jacksonburst2.html "Michael Jackson, McCartney had private viewing"], ''The Atlanta Journal-Constitution''. Retrieved March 23, 2007. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120212193152/http://www.ajc.com/living/content/living/stories/2006/12/30/1230jacksonburst2.html |date=February 12, 2012 }}</ref> [[Al Sharpton|Rev. Al Sharpton]] officiated at all of Brown's public and private memorial services.<ref>[http://www.showbuzz.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/12/29/people_hot_water/main2312609.shtml "James Brown eulogized for impact on word: Family and friends attend a private South Carolina ceremony for the 'Godfather of Soul'"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014223111/http://www.showbuzz.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/12/29/people_hot_water/main2312609.shtml |date=October 14, 2007 }} (December 29, 2006). CBS News: The Show Buzz. Retrieved March 10, 2007.</ref><ref>[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nyc-ga-farewell-for-godfather-of-soul/ "NYC & Ga. farewell for Godfather of Soul: Funeral procession and wake in Harlem; funeral in Georgia"]  (December 28, 2006). CBS News: The Show Buzz. Retrieved March 10, 2007.</ref>

[[File:James Brown Funeral.jpg|thumb|The public funeral in Augusta, Georgia, with [[Michael Jackson]] attending]]
Brown's memorial ceremonies were all elaborate, complete with costume changes for the deceased{{clarify|What does this mean, specifically?|date=September 2020}} and videos featuring him in concert. His body, placed in a Promethean casket—bronze polished to a golden shine—was driven through the streets of New York to the Apollo Theater in a white, glass-encased horse-drawn carriage.<ref>Christensen, J. (December 28, 2006). [https://web.archive.org/web/20071001015538/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/jamesbrown/photos/gallery/12985546/photo/3/large Picture of horse-drawn carriage carrying James Brown's body in gold casket to the Apollo Theater in Harlem]. ''Rolling Stone''. Retrieved March 21, 2007.</ref><ref>Altaffer, M. (December 28, 2006). [https://web.archive.org/web/20071014222518/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/jamesbrown/photos/gallery/12985546/photo/4/large Picture of pallbearers carrying James Brown's casket to Apollo Theater memorial service]. ''Rolling Stone''. Retrieved March 21, 2007.</ref> In Augusta, Georgia, his memorial procession stopped to pay respects at his statue, en route to the James Brown Arena. During the public memorial there, a video showed Brown's last performance in Augusta, Georgia, with the [[Ray Charles]] version of "[[Georgia on My Mind]]" playing soulfully in the background.<ref name="Mourners" /><ref name="foxnews.com" /><ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/story/farewell-tour-to-james-brown-ends-with-hometown-memorial "Farewell tour to James Brown ends with hometown memorial"]  (December 30, 2006). Fox News. Retrieved March 21, 2007.</ref> 

His last backup band, the Soul Generals, played some of his hits during the tribute at the arena. The group was joined by [[Bootsy Collins]] on bass, with MC Hammer performing a dance in James Brown style.<ref>Barnett, R. (December 30, 2006). [https://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2006-12-30-brown-farewell_x.htm "Farewell tour to James Brown ends"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314041918/http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2006-12-30-brown-farewell_x.htm |date=March 14, 2012 }}, ''USA Today''. Retrieved March 16, 2007.</ref> Former Temptations lead singer [[Ali-Ollie Woodson]] performed "Walk Around Heaven All Day" at the memorial services.<ref>Wynn, M., & J. Edwards (December 31, 2006). [http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/123106/met_110706.shtml "Hardest Work Is Done"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090224114957/http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/123106/met_110706.shtml |date=February 24, 2009 }}, ''Augusta Chronicle''. Retrieved February 1, 2009.</ref> Brown was buried in a crypt at his daughter's home in [[Beech Island, South Carolina]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.today.com/popculture/james-brown-s-body-placed-crypt-wbna17554974 | title=James Brown's body placed in crypt | date=March 10, 2007 | access-date=June 11, 2022 | archive-date=June 11, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220611184812/https://www.today.com/today/amp/wbna17554974 | url-status=live }}</ref>

===Last will and testament===
Brown signed his last will and testament on August 1, 2000, before [[James Strom Thurmond Jr.|J. Strom Thurmond Jr.]], an attorney for the estate.<ref name="jbwill">{{cite web |title=James Brown Jr. not included in will |url=http://www.wrdw.com/home/headlines/5164202.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927021452/http://www.wrdw.com/home/headlines/5164202.html |archive-date=September 27, 2007 |work=WRDW-TV News |place=Augusta, Georgia |access-date=January 12, 2007}}</ref> The irrevocable trust, separate and apart from Brown's will, was created on his behalf, that same year, by his attorney, Albert "Buddy" Dallas, one of three personal representatives of Brown's estate. His will covered the disposition of his personal assets, such as clothing, cars, and jewelry, while the irrevocable trust covered the disposition of the music rights, business assets of James Brown Enterprises, and his [[Beech Island, South Carolina]] estate.<ref>{{cite web |title=James Brown's road to wealth was rocky: Financial turmoil part of 'Godfather' legend |work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |date=January 7, 2007 |url=https://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-news/james-browns-rocky-road-to-wealth-financial-turmoil-part-of-godfather-legend/HYSLOH56XFCXNOX4FCQTJCAPPY/ |access-date=February 17, 2022 |archive-date=February 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217160807/https://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-news/james-browns-rocky-road-to-wealth-financial-turmoil-part-of-godfather-legend/HYSLOH56XFCXNOX4FCQTJCAPPY/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

During the reading of the will on January 11, 2007, Thurmond revealed that Brown's six adult living children, Terry Brown, Larry Brown, Daryl Brown, Yamma Brown Lumar, Deanna Brown Thomas and Venisha Brown, were named in the document. Hynie and James II were not mentioned as heirs.<ref name="jbwill" /><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6255039.stm James "Brown's widow 'not in will'"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070217043616/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6255039.stm |date=February 17, 2007 }}, BBC News (UK), January 12, 2007. Retrieved January 12, 2007.</ref> Brown's will was signed 10 months before James II was born and more than a year before Brown's marriage to Tomi Rae Hynie. Like Brown's will, his irrevocable trust omitted Hynie and James II as recipients of Brown's property. The irrevocable trust had been established before, and not amended since, the birth of James II.<ref>Finn, N. (January 18, 2007), [http://www.eonline.com/news/article/index.jsp?uuid=82616c16-71cd-4fed-8de9-9d0e7451473b&entry=index "James Brown's estate wills more drama"], E!News. Retrieved March 21, 2007. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120522155010/http://www.eonline.com/news/article/index.jsp?uuid=82616c16-71cd-4fed-8de9-9d0e7451473b&entry=index |date=May 22, 2012 }}</ref>

On January 24, 2007, Brown's children filed a lawsuit, petitioning the court to remove the personal representatives from the estate, including Brown's attorney, as well as trustee Albert "Buddy" Dallas, and appoint a special administrator because of perceived impropriety and alleged mismanagement of Brown's assets.<ref>{{cite web |title=James Brown's children request trustees be removed |date=January 26, 2007 |url=http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2007/01/26/james_brown_s_children_request_trustees_ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140704181758/http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2007/01/26/james_brown_s_children_request_trustees_ |archive-date=July 4, 2014 |url-status=dead |work=Star Pulse |access-date=January 28, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://images.bimedia.net/documents/jb_petition.pdf |title=Emergency petition for termination of appointment and removal of personal representatives and for emergency order restraining all personal representatives. In the matter of James Brown, a/k/a James Joseph Brown. Case/Estate No. 2007-ES02-0056 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070616182020/http://images.bimedia.net/documents/jb_petition.pdf |archive-date=June 16, 2007 |publisher=Probate Court of Aiken County, State of South Carolina |date=January 24, 2007 |access-date=January 28, 2007}}</ref> On January 31, 2007, Hynie filed a lawsuit against Brown's estate, challenging the validity of the will and the irrevocable trust. Hynie's suit asked the court both to recognize her as Brown's widow and to appoint a special administrator for the estate.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.findlaw.com/hdocs/docs/ent/brown13107pet.html |title="Emergency petition for appointment of special administrator. In re estate of James Brown a/k/a James Joseph Brown, deceased, Case No. 2007-CP-02-0122 |publisher=State of South Carolina Circuit Court, County of Aiken |date=January 31, 2007 |via=FindLaw |access-date=March 21, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070307141742/http://news.findlaw.com/hdocs/docs/ent/brown13107pet.html |archive-date=March 7, 2007 }}</ref>

On January 27, 2015, Judge Doyet Early III ruled that Tomi Rae Hynie Brown was officially the widow of James Brown. The decision was based on the grounds that Hynie's previous marriage was invalid and that James Brown had abandoned his efforts to annul his own marriage to Hynie.<ref name="Rohter">{{cite news |author=Larry Rohter |date=January 23, 2015 |url=http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/01/23/judge-rules-tommie-rae-hynie-brown-was-married-to-james-brown/?_r=0&ncid=newsltushpmg00000003 |title=Judge Rules Tommie Rae Hynie Brown Was Married to James Brown |work=The New York Times |access-date=January 27, 2015 |archive-date=April 2, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402222258/http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/01/23/judge-rules-tommie-rae-hynie-brown-was-married-to-james-brown/?_r=0&ncid=newsltushpmg00000003 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wrdw.com/home/headlines/Judge-orders-release-of-emails-in-James-Brown-estate-lawsuit-289227041.html |title=Court order states Tommie Rae Brown as James Brown's wife and legal surviving spouse |work=[[WRDW-TV]] News |place=Augusta, Georgia |date=January 26, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402135146/http://www.wrdw.com/home/headlines/Judge-orders-release-of-emails-in-James-Brown-estate-lawsuit-289227041.html |archive-date=April 2, 2015}}</ref>

On February 19, 2015, the [[South Carolina Supreme Court]] intervened, halting all lower court actions in the estate and undertaking to review previous actions itself.<ref>[http://www.aikenstandard.com/article/20150226/AIK0101/150229641/1004/sc-supreme-court-freezes-james-brown-estate-case "S.C. Supreme Court freezes James Brown estate case"] ''[[Aiken Standard]]'' {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150526192801/http://www.aikenstandard.com/article/20150226/AIK0101/150229641/1004/sc-supreme-court-freezes-james-brown-estate-case |date=May 26, 2015}}</ref> The South Carolina Court of Appeals in July 2018 ruled that Hynie was, in fact, Mr. Brown's wife.<ref>[http://www.augustachronicle.com/news/20180727/james-brown-was-legally-married-to-wife-appeals-court-rules "James Brown was legally married to wife, appeals court rules"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421081610/https://www.augustachronicle.com/news/20180727/james-brown-was-legally-married-to-wife-appeals-court-rules |date=April 21, 2021 }}, ''[[Augusta Chronicle]]''</ref> In 2020, the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that Hynie had not been legally married to Brown and did not have a right to his estate.<ref name="settles">{{cite news |last1=Kinnard |first1=Meg |date=July 23, 2021 |url=https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-music-arts-and-entertainment-james-brown-66adcad4652f9f92dd1e149ef28a5ac3 |title=Family of James Brown settles 15-year battle over his estate |access-date=July 25, 2021 |work=AP News |agency=Associated Press |archive-date=July 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210725005931/https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-music-arts-and-entertainment-james-brown-66adcad4652f9f92dd1e149ef28a5ac3 |url-status=live }}</ref> It was reported in July 2021 that Brown's family had reached a settlement ending the 15-year battle over the estate.<ref name="settles" />