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James Brown Undergoes Surgury
Soul legend James Brown underwent surgery today (December 15), for treatment of his recently diagnosed prostate cancer. The operation, which took place in Atlanta, was considered a success with Mr Brown expected to be back at work in a matter or weeks.
The Godfather Of Soul (71) confirmed that he had cancer of the prostate in a statement earlier in the month (December 10), though it's believed he was diagnosed two weeks prior to
that, but kept the fact secret while he completed his Canadian tour.
Today (December 15) Brown was treated at Midtown Urology Surgical Centre in Atlanta, GA, where surgery was completed at 1:45pm (EST) and he was reported to be discharged at 2:45pm (EST).
“Mr. Brown has successfully undergone a localised prostate cancer procedure and is resting comfortably,” said Mr. Brown’s urologist Dr. James Bennett. Dr. Bennett, a leading authority on prostate cancer, reaffirmed, “We expect a full recovery. With proper follow-up and care, we can also expect a full cure.”
Mr. Brown’s wonderfully-named manager, SuperFrank, added “Mr. Brown has always been a fighter and we are confident that he will be back ‘on the good foot’ for another 70 years very soon.’
Whether or not Mr Brown will indeed live to be 140 years old aside, after his three weeks of allotted recovery time, he will cement his reputation as ‘The Hardest Working Man In Showbusiness’ by embarking on book-signing appearances in New York next January for his new autobiography ‘I Feel Good: A Memoir of a Life of Soul’.
He will then launch the next leg of his ‘Seven Decades of Funk World Tour’ in Australia and Asia, with stops including Bangkok, Jakarta and Singapore, and February brings the scheduled release of a new single with the Black Eyed Peas.
Despite Brown’s recent brushes with the law (he was charged with criminal domestic violence earlier this year and in the 1970s and he also served a 2 ½ year prison stretch after his 1988 arrest for drug and assault charges) the Godfather of Soul, Soul Brother Number 1, The Hardest Working Man In Showbusiness, Mr Dynamite, is still regarded as one of the most important and influential figures in the history of music.
Penning a string of worldwide hits across his 40 year career including ‘Get Up Offa That Thing’, ‘Get Up (I Feel Like Being A Sex Machine)’, ‘It’s A Man’s World' and ‘Living in America’, Brown had continued to tour, recently played the UK at the Glastonbury Festival as well as a rare London date at the Hammersmith Apollo.
Brown was honoured at the Kennedy Centre in the US last year where presenter Colin Powell called him the “Secretary of Soul” and “Foreign Minister of Funk” and recently picked up the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2004 Diesel Music Awards.
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