####James Brown in Reykjavik, Flickr’d by sigurjon.

Ladies and Gentlemen –

It is with a heavy heart that I report that the Godfather of Soul, James Brown himself, has passed away this Christmas.

Emory Crawford Long hospital in Atlanta, Georgia was where the great man died of pneumonia-related complications early this morning.

Here in Portugal, we’ll be celebrating our Christmas with a healthy dose of James Brown – I suggest you do the same this Christmas, and each to follow.

Mom, I’d call you to break the news, but it’s 4 a.m. in Phoenix.

[CNN.com Obituary]