James Brown - Live at the Apollo Album

James Brown had a run of hit singles on the radio before the release of the "Live at the Apollo (1963) album, but nothing cemented his stardom like this sold out performance and the accompanying live recording. In typical James Brown fashion the songs just keep coming, with no breaks and constant motion. The crowd gets involved too, screaming and clawing as songs morph into other songs and then back to the originals as though Brown never left them. The way James Brown put on a show in 1963 would eventually become the influence for not only any good soul show, but rock, jazz, funk, dance performances as well. With the Live at the Apollo album you get the hardest working man in show business at his best.