James Brown has told George Bush “I feel good” after being awarded an accolade for outstanding contribution to US culture.

The US President invited the Godfather of Soul to a gala in Washington DC, at which a number of his songs were performed and fellow celebrities paid tribute to him.

Also honoured at the 26th annual Kennedy Centre Honours event were country music star Loretta Lynn, violinist Itzhak Perlman and film director Mike Nichols, who directed The Graduate.

Mr Bush called the group an “interesting mix” bound by “superior performance” throughout their careers.

A host of star names, including Julie Andrews, Kim Cattrall, Anastasia and Reba McEntire, also paid tribute to the award winners in a series of speeches, sketches and musical numbers.

LL Cool J spoke about the influence of Brown, 75, on his career.

“He broke down mental and social barriers and made it possible for me, a black kid from Queens, to stand in front of presidents and say ‘say it loud, I’m black and I’m proud’,” he told the audience, reports BBC Online.

Story filed: 13:28 Monday 8th December 2003

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