Local Funeral, Burial For PunkFunk Star Rick James Saturday
by NewsRoom/Wgrz.com
Local Funeral, Burial For PunkFunk Star Rick James Saturday
Rick James, the Buffalo-born funk singer best known for the hit "Super Freak" will be buried Saturday at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo following a funeral service.
James died in his sleep August 6, at his home near Universal City, California. He was 56.
There will be a public viewing from 11 am to noon on Saturday at Saint John Baptist Church on Goodell St., followed immediately by a funeral service. The church is expecting between 1,500 to 2,000 people to attend. Burial will follow.
Some of James' friends planning to be in Buffalo for the service include Eddie Murphy, Smokey Robinson and Teena Marie.
James,56, born James Johnson Jr., died last week at his home near Universal City. His work as a musician took him from Bennett High School in Buffalo, to a high profile recording career, public drug abuse and a prison term.
An autopsy failed to determine the cause of James' death.
He had a history of cocaine addiction that led to two assault convictions in the 1990s and a two-year stretch in prison.
Coroner's officials are awaiting results of a toxicology test, which they said could take several weeks.
At a public viewing Wednesday night in Los Angeles, Nona Gaye was overcome with emotion. The actress and daughter of Marvin Gaye says she knew James all of her life and can't put his loss into words.
She adds at least she'll have James' music to remember him by.
