LEGENDS OF THE LONGHORN

James Brown

James Brown, the “Godfather of Soul,” was a revolutionary figure in funk and soul music. With 17 number-one R&B hits, he was a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s inaugural induction class. Over a career spanning more than 50 years, Brown’s electrifying stage presence—defined by his singing, dancing, and signature cape routine—earned him the title, “The Hardest-Working Man in Show Business.”

The cape routine became a staple of his performances. After hours of high-energy singing and dancing, Brown would collapse dramatically on stage. His hype man would rush out to help him to his feet and drape him in a cape. Brown would then saunter off stage as if the show were over, only to toss the cape aside and return for one final song.

When Brown performed at the Longhorn Ballroom in 1983, he was already a legend with plenty left to give. That night, he delivered a performance for the ages. According to D Magazine, the show featured an unprecedented eight-cape routine. The publication recalled how Brown “danced, sweated, and gyrated into a quivering kneel before cape man Danny Ray ministered to him and he arose, revived, the hardest-working man in show business.” 

After his show, Brown was relaxed in the backstage area, entertaining those around him in his customized robe and slippers—items that are now proudly displayed as part of the Longhorn Ballroom’s historic collection.

Just two years after his Longhorn show, his iconic stage persona was captured on film in Rocky IV, where he performed his hit “Living in America,” even giving Dallas a shout-out in the lyrics.  The Godfather of Soul indeed.