(CNN) -- Singer Rick James was found dead in his home Friday morning by his caretaker, a Los Angeles police Department spokesman said.
James, 56, was a musical icon of the early 1980's and credited with helping to create the "punk funk" style of music that was characterized in his 1981 album "Street Songs."
I know his personal life was a bit of a mess, but man, I love his music! He will be greatly missed by me, and my brother who is also a big fan. My brother's band plays the song
"se*- machine" and the crowd always jams the dance floor.
Bummer.....
I met Rick James, actually - At a concert in Buffalo, NY (his hometown) We had driven over from Rochester & the show was sold-out - While we were bumming about not being able to get in, Rick James & his entourage came up, he asked what was wrong, we told him & he brought us into the club with him & his group.
Without Mr. James kindness, I would not have seen Toots & the Maytals that night......