James Brown [ tickets ], self-proclaimed "Godfather of Soul" and five-decade R&B legend, died early Monday (12/25) morning in Atlanta at the age of 73.

Brown was admitted to Emory Crawford Long Hospital in Atlanta on Sunday after a routine dental appointment indicated signs of severe pneumonia, according to wire service reports.

Brown's agent, Frank Copsidas of Intrigue Music, told Associated Press early Monday that the cause of death had not yet been determined. "We really don't know at this point what he died of," he said.

According to his official website, Brown was preparing to return to the road with New Year's weekend shows in New Jersey and New York, which would have kicked off a 2007 tour itinerary booked through August of 2007 at the time of his death.

Brown first cracked the U.S. record charts in 1956 with the single "Please, Please, Please," beginning a recording career credited (along with the works of peers Little Richard and Ray Charles) with shaping subsequent decades of pop, soul and rock music. From 1959 through 1976, Brown had a Top Ten single in the Billboard Pop or R&B charts every year except for 1964.

After a dip in popularity in the 70's, Brown regained his momentum in the 80's with a string of movie appearances, including memorable turns in "The Blues Brothers" and "Rocky IV." Brown's "Living In America" from the "Rocky IV" soundtrack earned him a hit single and a Grammy in 1987.

Around this time, Brown's run-ins with the law over drug use, domestic violence and other actions earned him regular tabloid coverage, along with a three-year stint in jail in the late 80's.

Brown was among the first inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, honored during the Hall's opening ceremony in 1986.

In 2004, Brown underwent surgery for treatment of prostate cancer. The treatment was successful, and Brown spent his final years largely on the road, on his "Seven Decades Of Funk World Tour."

On his 72nd birthday, Brown was honored by the city of Augusta, Georgia with a seven-foot bronze statue of his likeness. Brown lived in Beech Island, North Carolina, across the Savannah River from Augusta.

Brown is survived by his fourth wife, Tomi Raye Hynie, and a son, James Jr, along with five children from previous marriages.

Photo gallery: James Brown at Bimbo's, San Francisco