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James Brown
 
 

20 All Time Greatest Hits Seeing the Godfather of Soul on David Letterman in the early to mid-1980's is the only time for me that a TV performance has ever come close to the electricity of a live show. Letterman tried to interview him after one song, but he wouldn't sit still, and when Letterman gave him a chance to do another number he took it in a second and never sat down for the rest of the hour.  He did splits, twists, turns and shimmies that defied age, gravity and one or two FCC regulations, I'm sure. It demonstrated how Brown is not only the hardest working man in show business, but one of the most entertaining. I had a small appreciation before that night, but have been a huge fan ever since.