Famous Flames Plaque Installed

The Famous Flames are honored with a plaque.
Thursday, the fifth historic plaque in the 2015-2016 series dedicated to downtown buildings was mounted at the Famous Flames display inside the Stephens County Museum.
Bobby Byrd met James Brown when they were young men. Brown came to live with Byrd’s family and joined his group which sang both gospel and rhythm and blues. Byrd played keyboard, Brown played drums, and they shared lead vocals. The other original members of the group were guitarist NaFloyd Scott, bassist Baroy Scott, and singers Sylvester Keels, Fred Pulliam, and Derek Oglesby. The latter two were replaced by Nashpendle “Nash” Knox and Johnny Terry.
The Famous Flames were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 and from commercials to modern rock and hip-hop music, the sounds of the Flames and James Brown are still among the most “sampled” records in pop and it all started in Toccoa.
Toccoa Main Street is also honoring the Famous Flames with “FlamesFest”, a series of concerts through March 3rd at the Schaefer Center in downtown Toccoa.
Thursday’s historic plaque program was the fifth of ten this year. Once all plaques have been installed, a walking tour podcast will accompany them to further bring historical awareness to downtown Toccoa.