Company acquires a stake in singer’s publishing, master recordings and name and likeness rights

Primary Wave Music has announced a partnership with the estate of James Brown. In the partnership with the estate, Primary Wave Music has acquired a stake in Brown’s publishing, master recording income stream, and name and likeness rights. Primary Wave will also continue a partnership with the estate, which will include several projects related to The James Brown 2000 Trust, which was established in 2000 by Mr. Brown for charitable and educational purposes.

The estate will now have access to Primary Wave’s entire marketing team, digital team, publicity department, branding team, and publishing infrastructure which includes licensing and synch opportunities.

Included in the deal are some of the most legendary hits in the history of music such as “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag,” “I Got You (I Feel Good),” and “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World.” Released in 1965, “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” was Brown’s first song to reach the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 8. The song did hit No. 1 on the R&B charts, staying there for an astonishing eight weeks and earned Brown his first Grammy award. The Grammy nominated “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” also reached No. 1 on the R&B charts, as well as hitting the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a staple in Brown’s live show through the remainder of his career. Brown’s most well-known recording is considered by many to be “I Got You (I Feel Good).” Released in 1965, the song soared to the Top 5 of the Billboard 100, peaking at No. 3 and has since appeared in over ten films. Also included, is the 1985 single “Living in America.” Upon release, the song reached No. 4 on the Hot 100 chart and spent 11 weeks on Billboard’s Top 40. “Living in America” won Brown his second Grammy was featured in the film “Rocky IV.”

“The James Brown Estate and related Trust are very proud and excited to work with Larry Mestel and Primary Wave,” states Russell Bauknight, Fiduciary for the James Brown Estate and Trust. “We believe that our choice of professionals to take the James Brown Legacy to the next level is going to prove to be one of the most successful events in Mr. Browns long history in show business.”

“I FEEL GOOD! Wow, I am awed that Primary Wave has been chosen by the estate of James Brown to partner with the Godfather of Soul. We are thrilled to help continue the expansion of his influence and further his legacy through both his music and The James Brown 2000 Trust.” adds Larry Mestel, CEO & Founder of Primary Wave Music.

“Soul Brother Number One,” “The Godfather of Soul,” “The Hardest Working Man in Show Business,” “Mr. Dynamite” — those are mighty titles, but no one can question that James Brown earned them more than any other performer. Other singers were more popular, but few other musicians were so influential over the course of popular music. And no other musician put on a more exciting, exhilarating stage show.

Through the gospel-impassioned fury of his vocals and the complex polyrhythms of his beats, Brown was one of the figures most responsible for turning R&B into soul and he was, most would agree, the one figure most responsible for transforming soul music into funk. Fittingly, his music became even more influential as it aged, since his voice and rhythms were sampled on innumerable hip hop recordings, and critics belatedly hailed his innovations as among the most important in all of rock or R&B.

Brown died on December 25, 2006 of heart failure.