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44:23

James Brown: Feeling Good

James Brown is also known as the Godfather of Soul and the Hardest Working Man in Show Business, among other titles. The 71-year-old singer is still touring, despite having prostate surgery in December. He's written a new memoir, James Brown: I Feel Good.

Legendary musician James Brown smiles in this 1971 black and white photo
31:05

Remembering Ray Charles

The great singer and pianist Ray Charles died Thursday, June 10, at the age of 73. He was about to go back on tour, but died of complications of liver disease. Charles shaped American music since the 1950s, at first copying the styles of black vocalists like Nat King Cole and Charles Brown. But he soon developed a style all his own. His career grew along with Atlantic records, which signed him as a fledgling label. Charles' first hit was "I've Got a Woman" in 1955. He went on to record more bluesy, gospel-charged hits, country, jazz and rock.

Obituary
26:32

Best Music of 2003

Music critic Ken Tucker reveals his favorite rock, pop and R&B albums of the year. Tucker is TV critic for Entertainment Weekly.

Interview
45:01

Singer Howard Tate and Producer Jerry Ragovoy

Tate is making his comeback after nearly 30 years. His rhythm and blues hits in the '60s — produced by Ragovoy — included Get It While You Can, Stop, Ain't Nobody Home, and Look at Granny Run. But bad record deals, the demands of touring and tragedy in his personal life took their toll on Tate. He developed a drug habit and disappeared from view. Eventually he kicked his drug habit and became a pastor. Back with his producer, Ragovoy, the two have collaborated on a new album called Rediscovered. It includes a track written for him by Elvis Costello, a longtime fan.

41:16

Soul singer Barry White

Soul singer Barry White, the sweet-talking, deep-voiced performer who rhapsodized about love, died on July 4. He was 58. The cause was kidney failure. His hits included "My First, My Last, My Everything," "Never Never Gonna Give Up," and "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More." Before he became a hit as a solo performer, White put together the female vocal trio Love Unlimited and founded the Love Unlimited Orchestra, a 40-piece ensemble, to accompany himself and the trio.

Obituary
06:30

Music Critic Milo Miles

Music critic Milo Miles reviews Donnie's The Colored Section, and A Woman Like Me, the new album by Bettye Lavette.

Review
06:59

Music critic Milo Miles

Music critic Milo Miles reviews the new box set: Sam Cooke and the Soul Stirrers: The Complete Specialty Recordings (Specialty label).

Review
05:57

Rock Critic Ken Tucker

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews Instant Vintage the first solo album from Raphael Saadiq, formerly of the R & B group Tony Toni Tone.

Review
05:42

Rock historian Ed Ward

Rock historian Ed Ward tells the story of Frisco Records, a New Orleans soul label run by a female fry-cook.

Commentary
05:33

Blues singer Rufus Thomas has died at the age of 84

Blues singer Rufus Thomas has died at the age of 84. Wel play back several songs and an interview from the 1997 Chicago Blues Festival. Thomas was best known for novelty dance tunes like Walking the Dog and Do the Funky Chicken. In 1953 Thomas recorded Bear Cat, the answer to Big Mama Thornton Hound Dog. It became Sun Recordsfirst hit. In the sixties, Thomas became one of the founding performers for Stax Records.

Obituary

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