Meet James Brown—the undeniably cool native San Franciscan (who’s made Utah home for over 30 years)—he doesn’t just bring the style, he IS the style.
Rising by 7 AM each morning, at 78 years young, James springs out of bed with child-like enthusiasm and anticipation for what he’ll discover that day. But most of all, he wakes up on a mission—to make the world a better place and spread more love.
James now measures his time by the “effects of the effort I put into making a difference,” and does so with style and intentionality. Because to him, “The things you do to take care of yourself, whether it's putting on clean socks or cleaning up your shoes, transfers into your lifestyle and into your brain.”
This is why his morning routine includes dressing to impress and setting himself on the right foot, literally. “I shine my shoes to this day,” says James. “I had an older gentleman look down, and he said, ‘You shine your shoes. I haven't seen anybody do that in a hundred years.’ But those are the things I learned when I was a young man that people notice.”
It’s the finer details James prides himself on that make him a real showstopper—not to mention his infectious grin and larger-than-life personality. Giving that extra touch of finesse, James shaves and trims his mustache before Zoom calls, coordinates his shirt color with his socks, wears pinstriped trousers (even when no one can see them on camera), and presses all of his clothes.
“I do these things because I understand that when you do those things, people recognize and identify with you because they understand that it took some effort… People pay attention to your neatness.”
When asking James how he would categorize his style, he says matter-of-factly, “My style has been original, and I don't find another guy dressing like I dress.”
And original he is—a self-described “contemporary man,” James keeps up with everything from politics to the latest technology; he has his own podcast, a television show, and countless creative projects on the horizon. After any tidbit of conversation with him, it’s clear this is only the beginning.
That said, he’s already led the kind of life most only dream about, adding another notch to his coolness. He’s tied to famous musicians of the '60s, having been the coordinator for Sly and the Family Stone, hosting a blues radio station, and being the first black male to report for ABC 4 Utah—and this is only touching the surface.
But even with his unique background, having grown up around artists like Carlos Santana among others in the Bay Area—of which he says, “All of these guys were in the hood, but we paid no attention to it, so it was one wonderful place,”—it paled in comparison to his parents’ legacy.
His mother and father left the biggest impression on him. James calls them “beacons of light.” He fondly remembers his mother cooking mounds of food and inviting people from all walks of life into their home to eat—regardless of where they were from or their orientation.
Continuing his commitment to embracing people of all kinds, James is on a mission to serve the aging population of Utah and beyond. He’s been providing awareness, resources, and support via his television series, Living and Aging with Pride.
In fact, he was recently humbled to receive the 2024 Rocky Mountain Southwest Emmy Award for this very program he’s been pouring his heart and soul into.
When speaking about his initiatives with the aging population, he says, “I think it's understanding the value of age. Some people don't understand the value of age because their culture or family doesn’t recognize age as a value. It [age] brings wisdom, knowledge, and experience. And what are the key factors in helping you have a better life? Wisdom, knowledge, and experience.”
Offering his own wisdom, James says, “I believe that in order for us to be better and do better, we have to embrace loving ourselves and loving our community. Otherwise, you sit in a corner and do nothing. If you love something, you cultivate it, you stimulate it, and you vibrate with it.”
James shows us that style is about so much more than how we look—it’s about being a better person to everyone. And for him, making Livingwithpride.org one of the most useful resources for older adults in the world— “sharing love, giving love.”
Measuring time by the “effects of his effort into making a difference."
" I still shine my shoes to this day."