James Brown before he was famous

The nobody years

1. 

   1933 A shack in Barnwell

   Born in a small wooden shack in Barnwell, South Carolina.

   Was born in a one-room wooden shack in Barnwell, South Carolina, into extreme poverty. Source

2. 

   1938 Dancing for coins

   He danced for coins, entertaining troops stationed near Camp Gordon.

   Was sent to Augusta, Georgia, to live with an aunt who kept a brothel. Source

3. 1944 Toccoa, at sixteen

   At sixteen, convicted of robbery, sent to detention in Toccoa.

   Was sent home from school for wearing insufficient clothes. Source

4. 1940s Bobby Byrd hears him

   Singer Bobby Byrd heard him sing while he was still serving.

   Taught himself piano, guitar and harmonica in those same years. Source

5. 1949 Byrd's group, 1954

   Two years later he joined Byrd's group, still changing names.

   Broke into four cars in one night at the age of sixteen, taking coats and other goods. Source

6. 1937

   His mother left the family when he was four years old. Source

7. 1930s-1940s

   Picked cotton, washed cars and shined shoes as a child to bring money in. Source

8. 1943

   Danced for coins on the street to entertain troops stationed at nearby Fort Gordon. Source

9. 1944

   Won a talent show at Augusta's Lenox Theater singing the ballad So Long. Source

10. 1948

    Had a brief career as a boxer in his teens, and played semi-professional baseball. Source

11. 1949

    Was convicted of armed robbery and sentenced to eight to sixteen years. Source

12. 1949

    Was sent to the Alto Reform School near Toccoa, Georgia, two hundred miles from home. Source

13. 1950

    Formed a gospel group inside the reform school and was nicknamed Music Box. Source

14. 1950

    The group built its own instruments: a comb and paper, lard tins for drums, a washtub and broomstick for a bass. Source

15. 1951

    Bobby Byrd first heard him sing while he was still serving his sentence. Source

16. 1952

    Byrd's family petitioned the parole board on his behalf. Source

17. 1952

    Was paroled on 14 June 1952, shortly after his nineteenth birthday, having served three years. Source

18. 1952

    His parole required him to find work and never return to Augusta or Richmond County. Source

19. 1952

    Took work at a car dealership and as a janitor in Toccoa after his release. Source

20. 1952

    Joined Bobby Byrd's group, the Gospel Starlighters, shortly after being released. Source

21. 1953

    The group turned from gospel to secular music and renamed itself the Famous Flames. Source

22. 1955

    Little Richard recommended him to his own manager, Clint Brantley, in Macon. Source

23. 1955

    The Flames cut a demo of Please Please Please in the basement of Macon radio station WIBB. Source

24. 1956

    King Records man Ralph Bass heard the demo in January 1956 and signed the group. Source

25. 1956

    King's owner Syd Nathan called the record rubbish and fired Bass for signing it. Source

26. 1956

    Bass was rehired once the single started selling. Source

Reconstructions of documented moments, generated with AI. Not archive photographs, and not depictions of real people. © The Nobody Years