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Soul Icon James Brown Dies at 73 Singer James Brown dies at 73. He had been hospitalized in Atlanta for pneumonia. His string of hits began in 1956 with "Please Please Please" and continued with "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," "Night Train," and "I Got You."

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Soul Icon James Brown Dies at 73

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Soul Icon James Brown Dies at 73

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James Brown performs in London on July 4, 2006. Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images hide caption

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Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

James Brown performs in London on July 4, 2006.

Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

Singer James Brown — one of the most influential popular musicians of the past 50 years — has died at 73. He had been hospitalized over the weekend in Atlanta, suffering from pneumonia.

His string of hits began in 1956 with "Please, Please, Please" and continued with "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," "Night Train," and "I Got You," among many others. His string of nicknames was nearly as long, from "The Godfather of Soul" to "The Hardest Working Man in Show Business" and "Mr. Dynamite."

Married four times, Brown won three Grammy awards, including one for lifetime achievement, and dazzled crowds with his sparkling costumes, lived-in voice and show-stopping dance moves.