The family of soul legend James Brown is in mourning after the passing of Venisha Brown, his daughter with Yvonne Fair, formerly of The Chantels. She was 53.
Brown died Wednesday night, Sept. 19, at Augusta University Health Medical Center in Augusta, Georgia, due to complications from pneumonia, according to a statement released by her family.
“The multi-talented songwriter and musician will always be remembered as one of the few who fully embodied the dance moves of her father,” the statement read. “The family thanks everyone for their prayers and telephone calls. At this time we ask that you respect the privacy of the family.”
According to her sisters, Brown struggled with crack addiction at various points in her life. This included one time stealing her employer’s SUV and attempting to run her over. Despite that, she was a musician and dancer in her own right and devoted herself to working with youth as part of the James Brown Family Foundation.
Brown’s family said funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, they are asking mourners to make a one-time donation to a cause near and dear to Venisha’s heart — the James Brown Academy of Musik Pupils (JAMP), a musical year-round hub designed to motivate, educate and inspire children through the universal language of music and help them discover and enrich their hidden musical abilities.
For information, visit www.jamesbrownfamilyfdn.org.
