Exactly 15 years ago, my sister was having a little Christmas dinner party with friends. We lived just 8 blocks apart from eachother, so I jumped on my bike, rode through the snow and got there not knowing what to expect.

She was known for her fine cooking, but I wasn't sure if it would be a lively atmosphere, so I came prepared. As I entered her house, I noticed everybody was politely, yet mildly engaged in conversation. To tell the truth, it was a little boring.

So I asked if I could change the music, she obliged. Enter Soul Brother Number One. Yes, that's right, The Hardest Working Man In Show Business was about to show this old wooden living room floor what funk was all about. The album was In The Jungle Groove and this little cassette tape I brought just in case was burning a hole in my pocket.

As the first song started, the atmosphere was instantly a little more lively. By the second song, people were moving chairs and tables out of the way to dance. By the third song, there was a sweaty funk in the air and every single person had set their drink down to boogie. To this day, I've never seen a single album change the tone of a party like this classic James Brown masterpiece. We listened and danced through the whole album, it was a perfect moment.

I'll never forget that party or the many other times a James Brown track has made my white butt jiggle. Funk music, disco, hip hop, rap and R&B/Soul can all lead back to one man, James Brown.

As I read the news headlines today, my eyes well up because the single most influencial music artist in my life has passed away. He was 73 years old, he had been handing out Christmas gifts to children just days ago and he was still touring. What an unbelievable career!

Do yourself a favor and listen to anything from 1970-1975 with his name on it. Just make sure you have room in the house to get up, get into it and get involved.