\n<\/p>\n
James Brown and Joe Tex; Two powerhouses of the R&B Soul Music World, both from the deep south. James Brown, from Macon, Ga. and Joe Tex (real name Joseph Arrington Jr.) from where else of course, Texas. They were both labelmates in the 50s on KING records. Joe Tex had his first hit with \u201cHOLD WHAT YOU\u2019VE GOT\u201d in 1964. One of JB\u2019s early singles, 1960\u2019s \u201cBABY YOU\u2019RE RIGHT\u201d was originally written and released by Joe Tex earlier on the ANNA label. James\u2019version charted at #2 R&B\/#49 Pop while Joe,s version didn\u2019t hit the charts.<\/p>\n
A rivalry soon erupted between the two when JB reportedly took Tex\u2019s wife singer Bea Ford, who can be heard on the JB single \u201cYOU\u2019VE GOT THE POWER\u201d. Apparently James wrote Joe a letter telling him he could have Bea back. By this time Joe had found a new woman and responded with the 1963 single, \u201cYOU KEEP HER\u201d which didn\u2019t chart either. Not long after the landmark album \u201cLIVE AT THE APOLLO\u201d was released in 1963, James Brown returned to Macon to play a homecoming concert at the City Auditorium with Joe Tex.<\/p>\n
The \u201cClown Prince of Soul\u201d (as Joe Tex was becoming known) could imitate anyone he wanted and came out on the stage with a raggedy cape with a hole in it. He fell to his knees and all of a sudden, grabbed his back. He stated singing \u2018Please, Please, Please\u2013GET ME OUT OF THIS CAPE!\u201d Here it was James Brown\u2019s homecoming concert and Joe Tex was making a mockery of him. Mind you, James Brown was not the least amused by his fellow performer\u2019s antics!<\/p>\n
Later that night he found out that Joe went to a club where a band featuring a young Otis Redding was performing. Walking in with a shotgun in hand, Brown started exchanging fire with someone across the room. They kept shooting and reloading, either not hitting the other. Several people were shot in the melee while Joe Tex ran outside the club and hid behind trees and bushes. James ran outside and his tour bus pulled out of the parking lot with him behind the wheel. Not long after, someone gave each of the injured patrons $100 each and the whole thing was quieted down.<\/p>\n
Reportedly Joe Tex had \u201cSOUL BROTHER #1\u201d painted on his tour bus until James got wind of it and it was removed. Then there was the question of who really invented the acrobatic microphone tricks that both performers mastered and exhibited on stage. Not that it really mattered because they both had different styles and showmanship. There is a clip of Joe Tex performing on the 20th Annual Grammy Awards in 1978 on YouTube. I remember seeing it on TV and his performance was nothing short of AWESOME!<\/p>\n
As much as I enjoyed the dancers also, I thought it distracted from Joe,s mic-twirling, soul act (even seeing it I still couldn\u2019t believe someone could actually rock the mic like THAT). There are also clips on YouTube of a live concert recorded in 1968 in Sweden called, \u201cTHE JOE TEX SHOW\u201d , featuring the artist in his prime along with his touring band. It\u2019s available on DVD but a little hard to find. Check to find out who downloaded the clips and then ask if they have or know where the dvd can be obtained.<\/p>\n
Hopefully Spike Lee will still do the JB biopic because I think he is one of the few directors that could truthfully portray an enigma like James Brown. Hopefully it should be a 3 hour epic like the Malcolm X story to be done right. I have never been a big fan of Usher, but given his respect and love for the Godfather of Soul and having had previous acting experience, I feel he could do an incredible job. If Usher doesn\u2019t get this role, get an unknown who has done some theater and somewhat resembles Mr. Brown.<\/p>\n
James Brown\u2019s life story should be put on the screen for his final due. Elvis, the Beatles, Ray Charles, have had their life stories grace the silver screen (the former two multiple movies and TV shows) and it\u2019s way past time to give this man his due also. I enjoy listening to the \u201cSTEVE HARVEY MORNING SHOW\u201d and the \u201cMICHAEL BASDEN SHOW\u201d in the afternoon, but neither hardly play any music by these two R&B legends. Musical styles change (disco, rap, etc.) but the roots are old school music which we should never forget.<\/p>\n
So what\u2019s truth and what\u2019s fiction? Your guess is as good as mine but given the volatile nature of the Hardest Working Man In Show Business, it is very likely that the infamous \u201cclub shootout\u201d was accurate. It\u2019s a miracle both of them survived the incident(?) and went on to bigger heights in the business. I really shudder to think what course soul music would have taken without their input. May they both rest in peace.<\/p>\n