"He had a heart of gold, he'd give you his last. Once you were his friend, he will be your friend till the end. He was there for everybody." - Annette Johnson, sister of the late Bobby Williams.

Back in the day there was James Brown, and everyone else. His energy, presence and charisma transcended his music, and despite what the music media of today will tell you, he was more influential on the music of the past 40 years than even the Beatles.

So it's hardly surprising that his fans and followers in the '60s and '70s were so enraptured by his passion and uncompromising style that it rubbed off on them too. Thousands of bands recorded funk music bearing more than a resemblance to not only his music, but his vocal style too, though none came so close as being a James Brown clone as did Bobby Williams.

That's not to say Bobby Williams spent his time perfecting cover versions of "Cold Sweat" and "Sex Machine". What Bobby did was pay homage to the Godfather by creating "Funky Superfly" and "Soul Brother Party". It wasn't exactly a "Brand New Bag", but it was certainly "A Bag of his Own" - and he did it so well even James Brown himself gave his respect.

This album showcases Bobby Williams & the Mar-Kings with their finest and funkiest moments and tells the story of the singer from his impoverished days as a child growing up in Georgia to the sell-out concerts given across the country. The pictures and extensive, original notes tell his story as told by the people who knew him best - his friends, family and fellow band members.