9000 fans and friends of the Godfather of Soul turned out for the funeral of James Brown in Augusta, Georgia yesterday (December 30th).
Brown's band The Soul Generals performed his hits for the crowd, which included a surprise appearance from Michael Jackson.Brown died in the early hours of Christmas Day from heart failure after being taken to hospital just days earlier for pneumonia.
Without a doubt, Brown was the greatest influence on the music of black America and in death, was just as colorful as in life. His body was put on display at the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem just days after his death and by the time he arrived at the James Brown Arena in Augusta, he was already into his third costume change.
The singer was buried in a black suit and gloves and ruby red shirt.
The James Brown Arena was named in his honor just this August (2006) as an acknowledgement of the city's most famous son.
