1955: The Famous Flames
In 1955, Brown and his sister Sarah Bobby Byrd performed in a band called "The Gospel Starlighters." Eventually, Brown joined Bobby Byrd vocal group, the Avon and Byrd turned to the voice of secularism against rhythm and blues. After the band's name was changed to The Flames, Brown and Byrd group has toured throughout the South "Chitlin Circuit. The group eventually signed an agreement with Cincinnati, Ohio, Federal Records label, King Records label mate. Brown's early recordings is straightforward gospel-inspired R & B compositions, heavily influenced by the work of contemporary musicians such as Ray Charles, Little Willie John, Clyde McPhatter and Little Richard.
The early and mid 1960s
Brown scored on the charts in the early 1960s with recordings such as coverage of the 1962 "Night Train". While Brown's early singles were major hits in the southern United States and then regular R & B Top Ten hits, he and his Famous Flames were not nationally successful until his show self-financed live was captured in 1963 LP Live at the Apollo. Brown finance the recording of the album himself, and was released on King Records over the label owner Syd Nathan objection, that does not see commercial potential in a live album contains no new songs. Nathan Defying expectations, the album remained in the pop charts for fourteen months, peaking at # 2. In addition, Brown recorded version of the hit ballad "Prisoner of Love" (his first Top 20 pop hit) in 1963 and founded (under the auspices of the King) seedlings Try Me Records, Brown's first attempt in the management a record company.
The late 1960s
As the 1960s drew to a close, Brown continued to refine the new funk idiom. Brown 1967 # 1 R & B hit, "Cold Sweat", sometimes called the first true funk song, was the first records to contain a drum break and the first appearance of harmony that was reduced to a single agreement . instrumental arrangements on tracks like "Give It Up Or Turn A Loose" and "Licking Stick-Licking Stick" (recorded in 1968) and "Funky Drummer" (recorded in 1969) with an advanced version of Style 1960 in Mid-Brown with horn section, guitar, bass and drums combined into complex rhythmic patterns based on mutual dual riffs.
The change in the style of Brown, who started with "Cold Sweat" also form the basis for the music and Brown hits like "I Got a Feelin '" (1968) and "Mother Popcorn" (1969). At the time of Brown singing often taken the form of a kind of rhythmic declamation, not quite sung but not so pronounced, occasionally showing traces of pitch or melody. It will be a great influence on the art of rap, which expires with the hip-hop in the next decade.