The J.B.'s were the most renowned of
James Brown's many backing bands (previously, the
Famous Flames and the
James Brown Band). The band provided musical support for the legendary singer and bandleader for the first half of the 1970s. The band stepped in to fill the shoes of Brown's previous band, who had walked out on him due to his arduous demands. The band's rhythmic foundation was initially provided by teenage bass prodigy
William "Bootsy" Collins and his guitarist brother Phelps "Catfish" Collins, both of obscure R&B outfit
The Pacemakers.
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