Search the Fresh Air Archive

Close Search

Celebrating James Brown: James Brown's Ghostwriter Bruce Tucker.

Today's show is in honor of the great James Brown who celebrates his birthday this weekend: Writer Bruce Tucker. He was the ghostwriter for James Brown's autobiography, The Godfather of Soul. Tucker is a contributing editor for The Black Music Research Journal. (REBROADCAST from 9/4/90)

22:22
Queue

Guest

Host

Related Topics

Other segments from the episode on May 1, 1998

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, May 1, 1998: Interview with Bruce Tucker; Interview with Maceo Parker; Interview with Bootsy Collins; Review of the film "He Got Game."
Queue
11:19

Celebrating James Brown: Funk Idol Bootsy Collins.

Musician Bootsy Collins got his start with James Brown, where he "defined the finger-popping funk bass style" (Rolling Stone). He went on to work with George Clinton as part of the Parliment-Funkadelic tribe, before forming Bootsy's Rubber Band. On stage, he created alter egos, including Bootzilla, Boot-Tron, and King of the Geepies. He's put out more than 30 albums. (REBROADCAST from 10/10/94)

Interview

Transcript

Transcript currently not available.

Transcripts are created on a rush deadline, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of Fresh Air interviews and reviews are the audio recordings of each segment.

You May Also like

Queue
24:19

James Brown's Ghostwriter Bruce Tucker

Tucker wrote Brown's memoir, The Godfather of Soul, which was recently reprinted. He joins Fresh Air to talk about Brown's rise as a soul singer, the evolution of his stage persona, and his recent conviction and imprisonment, a punishment which Tucker believes is too severe based on the charges.

Interview
Queue
22:49

Funk Idol Bootsy Collins

Collins got his start with James Brown, where he "defined the finger-popping funk bass style" (Rolling Stone). He went on to work with George Clinton as part of the Parliment-Funkadelic tribe, before forming Bootsy's Rubber Band. On stage, he created alter egos, including Bootzilla, Boot-Tron, and King of the Geepies. He's put out more than 30 albums, and has just released "Blasters of the Universe," with a new band.

Interview
Queue
10:35

The Godfather of Soul's Sax Player

Maceo Parker was a member of James Brown's horn section. Parker was hired along with his brother, but soon made a name for himself. His new album is a straightforward jazz record, called Roots Revisited.

Interview

Did you know you can create a shareable playlist?

Learn How
Advertisement

Recently on Fresh Air Available to Play on NPR

52:30

Daughter of Warhol star looks back on a bohemian childhood in the Chelsea Hotel

Alexandra Auder's mother, Viva, was one of Andy Warhol's muses. Growing up in Warhol's orbit meant Auder's childhood was an unusual one. For several years, Viva, Auder and Auder's younger half-sister, Gaby Hoffmann, lived in the Chelsea Hotel in Manhattan. It was was famous for having been home to Leonard Cohen, Dylan Thomas, Virgil Thomson, and Bob Dylan, among others.

Queue

Related segments from the Fresh Air Archive:

43:04

This fake 'Jury Duty' really put James Marsden's improv chops on trial

In the series Jury Duty, a solar contractor named Ronald Gladden has agreed to participate in what he believes is a documentary about the experience of being a juror--but what Ronald doesn't know is that the whole thing is fake.

Queue

Related segments from the Fresh Air Archive:

08:26

This Romanian film about immigration and vanishing jobs hits close to home

R.M.N. is based on an actual 2020 event in Ditrău, Romania, where 1,800 villagers voted to expel three Sri Lankans who worked at their local bakery.

Queue

Related segments from the Fresh Air Archive:

See All Recent Segments

There are more than 22,000 Fresh Air segments.

Let us help you find exactly what you want to hear.
Just play me something
Your Queue

Would you like to make a playlist based on your queue?

Generate & Share View/Edit Your Queue