RJ Smith has been a senior editor at Los Angeles magazine, a contributor to Blender, a columnist for The Village Voice, a staff writer for Spin, and has written for GQ, The New York Times Magazine, and Men’s Vogue. His first book, The Great Black Way, was a Los Angeles Times bestseller and recipient of a California Book Award. He lives in Los Angeles.
“The One is the first of its kind to represent James as the social
and cultural force he was, not just for black Americans but for all
of America—in fact, all of the world… I recommend reading [The One]
for it will give you and unparalleled view into the man, the
consummate entertainer, his music, and us as a nation.” — Al
Sharpton, The New York Times Book Review
“I recommend reading [The One] for it will give you an unparalleled
view into the man, the consummate entertainer, his music, and us as
a nation.” —Reverand Al Sharpton, The New York Times Book
Review
“A showstopper. This book’s sparkle speaks for itself, as does Mr.
Smith’s ability to take on his screaming, moaning, kinetically
blessed, unbeatably shrewd subject.” —Janet Maslin, The New York
Times
“As illuminating as it is definitive.” —Rolling Stone, 4.5
stars
“[A] supreme, sublime biography.” —ELLE
“RJ Smith may have come closer than anyone to understanding how
James Brown became James Brown.” —The Christian Science Monitor
“The imperatives of biography are to record, to correct, and to
carve out historical significance, and Smith’s lively account
succeeds on all three fronts.” —Smithsonian
"The One: The Life and Music of James Brown crackles with the same
kind of exuberant energy that explodes out of grooves of one of the
Godfather of Soul's classic sides." -The Boston Globe
“Top Spring Music Choice” and a “…compelling and detailed portrait
of one of our greatest musicians… Smith’s compelling and detailed
portrait of one of our greatest musicians reveals affectionately
and honestly the reasons we jump up every time ‘I Feel Good’ comes
on the radio.” -Publisher's Weekly
"This bio should be a cornerstone of soul-music-literature
collections." -Booklist
“Smith never loses the beat.” -Los Angeles Magazine
“Required Reading.” -New York Post
"RJ Smith's authoritative, keenly intelligent bio of one of the
most protean of American musical giants." -Philadelphia
Inquirer
"Unflinching portrait of the conflicted and contradictory
superstar...untangl[es] the psychological elements that came
together to make James Brown, tracing his almost prescient ability
to read audiences back to his days dancing for spare change from
sailors and growing up in Georgia with a violent, unpredictable
father.” -Associated Press
“Great telling of a really interesting man...captures the rhythm of
the man” -On Point, WBUR
"The One is the first of its kind to represent James as the social
and cultural force he was, not just for black Americans but for all
of America-in fact, all of the world... I recommend reading [The
One] for it will give you and unparalleled view into the man, the
consummate entertainer, his music, and us as a nation." - Al
Sharpton, The New York Times Book Review
"I recommend reading [The One] for it will give you an
unparalleled view into the man, the consummate entertainer, his
music, and us as a nation." -Reverand Al Sharpton, The New York
Times Book Review
"A showstopper. This book's sparkle speaks for itself, as does Mr.
Smith's ability to take on his screaming, moaning, kinetically
blessed, unbeatably shrewd subject." -Janet Maslin, The New York
Times
"As illuminating as it is definitive." -Rolling Stone, 4.5
stars
"[A] supreme, sublime biography." -ELLE
"RJ Smith may have come closer than anyone to understanding how
James Brown became James Brown." -The Christian Science
Monitor
"The imperatives of biography are to record, to correct, and to
carve out historical significance, and Smith's lively account
succeeds on all three fronts." -Smithsonian
"The One: The Life and Music of James Brown crackles with
the same kind of exuberant energy that explodes out of grooves of
one of the Godfather of Soul's classic sides." -The Boston
Globe
"Top Spring Music Choice" and a "...compelling and detailed
portrait of one of our greatest musicians... Smith's compelling and
detailed portrait of one of our greatest musicians reveals
affectionately and honestly the reasons we jump up every time 'I
Feel Good' comes on the radio." -Publisher's Weekly
"This bio should be a cornerstone of soul-music-literature
collections." -Booklist
"Smith never loses the beat." -Los Angeles Magazine
"Required Reading." -New York Post
"RJ Smith's authoritative, keenly intelligent bio of one of the
most protean of American musical giants." -Philadelphia
Inquirer
"Unflinching portrait of the conflicted and contradictory
superstar...untangl[es] the psychological elements that came
together to make James Brown, tracing his almost prescient ability
to read audiences back to his days dancing for spare change from
sailors and growing up in Georgia with a violent, unpredictable
father." -Associated Press
"Great telling of a really interesting man...captures the rhythm of
the man" -On Point, WBUR
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