Top 10 Celebrity Funerals

The Godfather of Soul
Even in death, James Brown was the hardest-working man in show business. The soulful singer's passing on Christmas Day, 2006, prompted not one but three memorial services. The first included a public viewing of Brown's body at Harlem's Apollo Theater, where he made his professional debut in 1956; the last was held in his hometown of Augusta, Ga., where more than 9,000 fans danced to live music supplied by his band, the Soul Generals. Pop icon Michael Jackson nearly stole the show when he made a surprise appearance at the last stop on Brown's so-called Farewell Tour. Following a eulogy delivered by the Rev. Al Sharpton, Jackson reportedly bent down to kiss Brown's forehead and proclaimed him "my greatest inspiration."

• Appreciation: Michael Jackson 1958 - 2009