DAILY PRESS Schwarzenegger issues statement on Brown In a statement released today, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger commented on James Brown’s death at the age of 73, "Maria and I send our prayers and thoughts to the family of James Brown today. Mr. Brown was an entertainment icon who for decades energized and entertained people around the world with his electrifying music.”
Brandishing his ethnomusicology skills, Schwarzenegger pontificated on Brown’s legacy, “‘The Godfather of Soul’ and ‘The Hardest Working Man in Show Business’ were just two of his nicknames and they certainly fit. He was also one of the most innovative and creative artists in the history of popular music and he's credited with helping to invent soul, funk, disco and even hip-hop. His trailblazing career and unique sense of style were a source of great pride and inspiration to many and his music and cultural contributions will live on far into the future.”
Expressing the Schwarzenegger family’s sympathies, the governor concluded with, “Our condolences are with his loved ones as they mourn the loss of such an extraordinary individual."
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 28, 2006. Read the original PDF.