Mr. Johnny Edwards

My thanks to Mr. Edwards at the "Augusta Chronicle" because he has been, for me, anyway, an angel in disguise. I just received the articles printed over the Christmas holidays in the "Chronicle" and Mr. Edwards has been instrumental in both reconnecting me with my paternal family and allowing the world to see me acknowledged as one of the sons of the "Godfather of Soul". He has been a source of inspiration and comfort to me and I consider him and those at the Augusta Chronicle to be amongst my friends. I am sure he doesn't realize the magnitude of what he was able to do for me: I was able to reach out to my family because of him and for that, I will be eternally grateful.

Thank you, Mr. Edwards. You will be in my thoughts and prayers for years to come.

PS: There are pictures of my mother and I featured in "The Family Tree" on page 6A in the December 23rd, 2007, edition of the "Augusta Chronicle". You may find that and other articles on-line at the "Augusta Chronicle" website.

To My Dad's Family

Hi All,

How are all of you? How did you survive Christmas? I know it is a day of joy no matter what, but we will all also remember it as the day we lost our father and grandfather. So it is a day that will remain bittersweet for a lot of us for many, many years to come. I wish I could have been there to share your joy of the Christmas holiday as well as mourning and celebrating the great man that we knew as our father and the whole world knew as the "Godfather of Soul".

I know Christmas was difficult for me, and not just for the fact that I had been returned to custody, but that once again, I had to mourn my father's death in isolation and away from all of my family. It would be a real comfort to me if I could share some of my thoughts with each of you and perhaps we can comfort each other as well. I won't be able to visit with you in person until some time after the 24th of February, but until then, you may reach me @

Michael D. Brown 121 18 19
MSJ 029
12500 Bruceville Road
Elk Grove, CA 95757

or via e-mail @ bakari9768@yahoo.com.

Love to you all,

Mike