Meet Velma Warren, James Brown's First Wife

Publish date: 2024-05-19

Velma Warren is the first wife of James Brown, the late popular musician and songwriter. They got married on June 19, 1953, and stayed married for 15 years before separating for five years and eventually getting divorced in 1969.

Following the death of the legendary music artist, there had been claims from Velma that she was never divorced from her ex-husband, James Brown. Read on to unveil the truth and discover more interesting things about Velma Warren.

Summary of Velma Warren Bio

James Brown’s First Wife, Velma Warren, Hails From Georgia, United States

Velma Warren formerly known as Velma Warren James hails from Georgia, United States, and was born to her parents in America. Her exact date of birth and other information about herself is unknown as she is a very private person which makes it difficult for anyone to get information about her. She is of American nationality but her ethnicity and zodiac sign are unknown.

The ex-celebrity wife has not shared any information about her childhood, place of birth, and family background. It is also not known if she has siblings or is an only child of her parents. Speaking about her educational background, Velma has not revealed to any source the schools she attended and certificates obtained but it is believed that she must have had her formal education and is a graduate.

On the aspect of her career, there are also no details on the career path she took and also if she is into other ventures like business, etc.

Velma Warren and James Brown Began Dating at The Early Stage of His Career 

There isn’t much information about the relationship Velma Warren and James Brown shared such as when they met but judging from the history of his different marriages, the soul singer’s marriage to Velma Warren was the most peaceful of all.

One striking fact about Velma is the fact that she was with James Brown at the early stage of his career and was of great support to him through his years of struggle as an upcoming artist. Although there is nothing much to tell about her life, she was an integral part of his life.

Velma Warren and James Brown were once lovers and dated each other for 5 months before they decided to get married. Velma and her then-sweetheart James tied the knot on June 19, 1953. At the beginning of their marriage, the duo looked really happy and welcomed three sons (Terry Brown, Larry Brown, and Teddy Brown). The couple stayed married as husband and wife for 15 years, they were separated for five years before getting finally divorced in 1969.

Velma lost her son Teddy Brown in 1973 in a car accident. Teddy was 19 years old when he died; many suspected that the celebrity kid was intentionally shot before the car crashed.

Who was Velma Warren’s Husband, James Brown?

James Brown was a legendary American music singer, record producer, dancer, and bandleader. He was a very prominent name in the music industry and is said to be one of the greatest artists in the history of black music. Nicknamed “Godfather of Soul,” James Brown was the central progenitor of funk music and enjoyed a successful career for over 50 years before his death.

The music Legend was born James Joseph Brown on May 3, 1933, in Barnwell, South Carolina, to his parents but was raised by his aunt in Augusta, Georgia, United States. He first started his singing career as a gospel singer before going into Funk, R&B, and Blues.

Velma Brown was the first wife of James Brown, but it turns out that she was not the only woman the artist married. After Velma Brown and her husband had parted ways, the singer moved on with his life and found love again, which led him to get married to Deidre Jenkins. His second marriage was also short-lived as they got divorced due to domestic abuse claims by Deidre Jenkins, and they had two daughters together.

Velma’s husband went ahead to get another wife after his second divorce. James Brown got married to Adrienne, and their marriage was disastrous as the couple was always fighting and having constant misunderstandings to the extent that there were times Adrienne had accused him of threatening to take her life. Adrienne later died in 1996, and he moved on to start dating former backup singer Tommie Rae Hynie whom he got married to in 2001; they were in the process of getting divorced when James Brown died.

James Brown died of a heart attack and fluid in his lungs at the age of 73 in Emory University Hospital Midtown located in Atlanta, on Christmas day in 2006.

Velma Warren Claimed She was Not Legally Divorced From James Brown

Following the death of her ex-husband James Brown, Velma made the headlines in 2007 after she had requested to have a share of his wealth, making claims that they were never divorced, and contrary to what many had thought, she never signed a divorce paper ending her marriage to James.

A sworn statement by Velma was filed in Aiken County court, and two lawyers involved in the case discounted her claims on the grounds that she had remarried, and if her claims were to be true, it showed that she practiced Bigamy. There was also a document presented that showed that a judge had granted and signed their divorce in 1969.

In her defense, Velma Warren’s attorney, David Bell, had stated that there was never a formal separation or divorce between James and Velma, citing that the couple just went their separate ways but were in communication with each other all these years they were separated.

He also went further to mention that Velma was with James Brown in his home in South Carolina weeks before the artist died in a Georgia hospital. In the end, it was ruled that Velma Warren and James Brown were legally divorced. 

Velma Warren Did Not Inherit Anything From James Brown’s Estate

Velma Warren was not going to inherit any of the legendary singer‘s assets and properties since she was no longer his wife and was not included in his will. James Brown, according to sources, had confided in a close friend before he died that he would not be leaving an inheritance for his children, citing that his children are already doing good just being born by him, which to him was enough inheritance for them.

Following the demise of the Soul icon, there were lots of disputes and matters arising as to who gets to inherit his multi-million estate and other valuable assets. This dispute of over 15 years was finally settled, and an agreement was reached. From his will, the singer had left a majority of his assets for the scholarship of the underprivileged children living in South Carolina and Georgia, while James Brown’s possessions and stage costumes, as well as $2 million, were left solely for his grandchildren’s education.

Velma Warren’s Whereabouts Is Currently Unknown

Velma Warren is a very private person, which makes it impossible for sources to know what she has been up and about lately. But for sure, the celebrity ex-wife is enjoying her old age with her children and grandchildren and is also living life to the fullest.

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