Why did James Brown, the "busiest man in show business", suddenly seemed less busy when disco broke through ?

The Twelve Inch 129 : "Living In America" (James Brown)

Welcome, I’m Pe Dupre and this is “The Twelve Inch”, a newsletter that tells the history of dance music between 1975 and 1995, one twelve inch at a time.

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The Godfather of Soul: A Legacy Beyond the Stage

When you think of James Brown, the “Godfather of Soul,” images of wild stage antics, sweat-drenched performances, and that unmistakable raspy shout come to mind. In the 1960s, he was one of the most influential Black artists, and while he briefly reclaimed the spotlight in the '80s, his legacy from the previous decades still loomed large. Yet, despite his undeniable impact on music, Brown's role in disco—the genre that took over the '70s—remains surprisingly underappreciated. How could the man who laid the very foundation for funk, a crucial pillar of disco, not enjoy the same prominence …