'The Godfather of Soul'

James Brown died Christmas Day at the age of 73.

Few people enter the world and change it profoundly -- do something no one's ever done before and won't do again. Some come to mind: Bill Gates, Muhammad Ali, Jonas Salk, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela. Brown.

Brown wasn't a scientist or president; and he certainly didn't qualify as a saint. But through his music, he created the genre of funk and influenced all of today's greats.

The energy of James Brown's music and his performances was explosive. His lyrics were simple and profound and sometimes political.

When MLK was assassinated, Brown gave a concert that is credited with quashing violence in Boston.

He came to Cincinnati back then, too, to help calm a racial tensions. He did it again in 2001. When everyone else was boycotting Cincinnati after the 2001 unrest, Brown appeared at the Taste of Cincinnati and made a point.

In that way, he was a political statesman. But through his funky music, he persuaded generations to "get up offa that thang," to be "Super Bad" and "Black and Proud."

His shortcomings were well-publicized and they certainly taint his personal legacy, but his artistic contributions are unmatched.

I'll be listening to his funky music on my iPod for a long time.