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  • JAMES BROWN CELEBRATES SEVEN DECADES OF FUNK
  • Sep. 27, 2003
  • Hollywood Bowl Performance Celebrates The Godfather of Soul's 70th Birthday

    Special Guest Macy Gray Makes Bowl Debut

    SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, AT 8 PM

    Media sponsor: K-EARTH 101

    The legendary James Brown serves up his saucy soul at the Hollywood Bowl on Saturday, September 27, at 8 p.m. To help celebrate the 70th birthday of this three-time Grammy winner, special guest Macy Gray makes her Hollywood Bowl debut in honor of her childhood idol. "The Hardest Working Man in Show Business" will treat Bowl audiences to his dynamic showmanship in a program including his greatest hits such as "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag," " I Got You (I Feel Good)" and "This Is a Man's World."

    Brown, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, has had a profound effect on popular music, noted for blending soul music with funk. With rousing vocals and skintight rhythm and blues, Brown has a style all his own which has clearly influenced the individualistic flair of Macy Gray.

    The distinctive vocal presence of Grammy-winning Gray will resonate throughout the Hollywood Bowl with hits such as "I Try," "Do Something," "Why Don't You Call Me," plus new songs from her current release, The Trouble with Being Myself.

    JAMES BROWN, "The Hardest Working Man in Show Business," rose from his poverty-ridden childhood in the South to become one of the most influential musical figures of the 20th century. One of the founding fathers of soul and funk, Brown appealed to audiences of all backgrounds with danceable, exhilarating hits such as "Papa's Got a Brand new Bag" and "I Got You (I Feel Good)," earning the singer three Grammy Awards. His drive and charisma combined to spawn legendary stage shows of high drama and energy. After almost fifty years in the music business, Brown is still going strong, adding younger generations to his ever-expanding fan base and releasing new material such as 1998's I'm Back.

    Armed with her trademark raspy voice and an outlandish sense of style, MACY GRAY was enrolled in USC's screenwriting program when she virtually stumbled onto the path to a singing career. After recording demos in place of a singer friend who failed to show up to the studio, Gray's unique sound immediately created a buzz across Los Angeles that eventually led to the star's 1999 triple platinum debut album, On How Life Is. Her radio-friendly single "I Try" received the Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal the following year, propelling Gray into a high-profile career that has included collaborations with industry icons from Santana to Stevie Nicks. Gray's latest album, The Trouble With Being Myself, came out in July. This concert marks Macy Gray's first appearance at the Bowl.

    EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:

    Saturday, September 27, 8 PM


    HOLLYWOOD BOWL, 2301 N. Highland Avenue

    James Brown: Seven Decades of Funk

    JAMES BROWN

    MACY GRAY

    Media sponsor: K-EARTH 101

    Tickets ($1 - $85) are on sale now at the Hollywood Bowl box office, by calling Ticketmaster at 213.480.3232, at all Ticketmaster outlets (Robinsons May, Tower Records and Ritmo Latino locations), or online at hollywoodbowl.com. Groups of 12 or more may be eligible for a 20% discount, subject to availability; call 323.850.2050 for further details. For general information or to request a brochure, call 323.850.2000.

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  • Contact:

    Elizabeth Hinckley, 323.850.2047; Rachelle Roe, 323.850.2032