Venisha Brown, Yamma Brown

Venisha Brown, a daughter of the late soul singer James Brown, died at Augusta University Health Medical Center in Augusta, GA, on Wednesday, Sept. 18. She was 53.

A James Brown Family Foundation press release stated she died from complications of pneumonia. The foundation thanked everyone for their “prayers and telephone calls” but asked for privacy.

Venisha’s mother is soul singer Yvonne Fair.

Yamma Brown, Venisha’s half sister, shared a photo of herself embracing her older sister on her Instagram.com page on Thursday. Yamma, pictured right, captioned the image: “My beautiful big sis Venisha has received her angels wings. My heart is broken but I am comforted by the peace you now have!!!”

Funeral arrangements are pending but in lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to the James Brown Academy of Musik Pupils, a musical, instrumental, initiative year-round educational hub designed for the youth to discover their musical ability.

James Brown, also known as “The Godfather of Soul”, died of congestive heart failure and pneumonia on Christmas Day 2006 at age 73. He left behind a will providing for six adult children. His widow, Hynie, and youngest son, James II, were not named in the will which was signed in 2000, before James II was born.