Bobby Byrd

At 73 years old, Bobby Byrd physical status not available right now. We will update Bobby Byrd's height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, and measurements.

Bobby Howard Byrd (August 15, 1934 – September 12, 2007) was an American R&B/soul singer, songwriter, bandleader, talent scout, and guitarist who played a vital and influential role in the creation of soul and funk music in association with James Brown.

Byrd began his career in 1952 as a member of the Gospel Starlighters, who later changed their name to the Avons and the Five Royals in 1954, before settling with the Flames in 1955; their agent later changed it to The Famous Flames.

Byrd was the true founder of The Flames and is credited with James Brown's discovery.

He also claims to have written the bulk of James Brown's hits.

Byrd, the group's founder and one of the group's longest-serving members, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.

Byrd was also a recipient of the Rhythm and Blues Foundation's Pioneer Award in 1998.

Byrd's writings inspired James Brown's musical aspirations, who began his career with Byrd.

Personal life

Byrd and Vicki Anderson, who left Brown's band at the same time as Byrd, got married after separated from Brown in 1973. Gail Harbin Byrd, Byrd's first wife (Walda, Orrin, and Ruthie) in Toccoa, Georgia, had three children with him. He had two children from another family. Anderson's children, including Carleen, were raised by Byrd. During Byrd's lifetime, the couple lived together. Despite moving to Cincinnati after the Famous Flames signed with Federal/King, Byrd retained residence in Georgia and, after leaving Brown, he remained at Loganville for the remainder of his life.

Bobby Byrd died of cancer on September 12, 2007, he was 73 years old.

Source

Early life and career

Bobby Howard Byrd was born in Toccoa, Georgia, to a religiously devout family, where they were revered members of the church congregation and very active in their neighborhood. Byrd began serving in his local church choir with the Zioners, later earning a reputation for himself as a member of the Gospel Starlightlighters, which also included his sister Sarah. The band members will leave their home state and perform in South Carolina as the Avons R&B group, leaving gospel behind at a time when church elders have condemned secular singing. Byrd, who played piano, organ, and sang lead vocals, Nafloyd Scott, Fred Pulliam, and Doyle Oglesby were among the original group's members.

Brown's solo career and continued employment.

Byrd reunited with Brown in 1970 after two years apart. Bootsy Collins, Bootsy's brother Catfish, and his bandmate Catfish were hired on the spot and without rehearsal, and Brown's old band would fill in for Brown's former band, who left him before he went to a gig. Byrd and Brown brought the band and their audience to a studio session where they recorded "Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine," after that performance.

Since the Famous Flames were still together, Byrd and Brown co-founded Fair Deal, which then began to sell The Famous Flames' albums – and Brown's own solo recordings – to mainstream markets. Both Byrd and Brown obtained solo contracts with Smash Records, owing to their success. Byrd's first solo hit, "Baby, Baby, Baby," was released in 1964 with Anna King. With "We Are in Love," he had a bigger R&B hit and soared to the top of the charts, a year later. Byrd had a funky song "I Can't Do It Alone" (1970) as Byrd and Brown together began performing under the yet-to-be-named genre of funk.

Brown and Byrd formed People Records in 1971, and the funk hit, "I Know You Got Soul" (1971), also by Byrd himself. Byrd performed onstage with Brown from 1970 to 1973 due to a slew of problems, including uncredited compositions on some Brown hits, Brown's concerns with singer Vicki Anderson, who Byrd married and stayed with him until his death, and his desire to start a family with Anderson. Despite being in touch with Brown following this last split, the actor's 21-year professional association with Brown, who now went by the name "Godfather of Soul," after composing the soundtrack to the film, Black Caesar (1973), came to an end. Brown began struggling with the music on People without Byrd's assistance, and soon found financial difficulties. In 1975, Byrd released the song "Back From The Dead."

Byrd released On the Move, a German record Label, Soulciety Records, in 1993. Byrd retired in 1996 after a few more live performances, but he occasionally resurfaced with Brown's help. Following Brown's release from drug and firearms charges in 1991, he recruited Byrd to join him on stage for his 1992 pay-per-view appearance. Byrd will appear in certain venues on occasion. They will also collaborate on Brown's last studio album, "Killing Is Out, School Is In," as part of Brown's "British Family's 2002's The Next Step. Byrd sung "Sex Machine" with Brown's other band members at his funeral in December 2006, honoring his late relative and former professional partner.

Bobby, Vicki, and Famous Flames Bobby Bennett and Lloyd Stallworth filed a lawsuit against royalties in 2003, claiming that they rightfully owed them for several Famous Flames hits, as well as Eric B.'s "I Know You Got Soul," which was sampled by several rappers, including Eric B. Instead, Universal sent Rakim and Rakim to James Brown, who allegedly kept them. The case was dismissed as a result of the statute of limitations running out. However, rapper Jay-Z, who sampled Byrd's album "I'm Not to Blame" on his 2001 hit The Blueprint, paid Byrd 65% of the royalties for the song, allowing Byrd and his family to obtain a mortgage for their house, which was worth about $250,000.

Source