Who is Deidre Jenkins, and why do people still search for her? She is best known as the second wife of James Brown. Brown was the singer known as the Godfather of Soul. The couple married in 1970 and had two daughters.

Jenkins lived a quieter life than her famous husband. Her daughter Deanna Brown Thomas later called her mother a homemaker. She said her mother was happy raising her daughters and caring for their home. She did not build a public career in the music world or seek the same fame.

The marriage also had a painful side. Their daughters later said they saw Brown abuse their mother. They have spoken about those years as adults. Their words give the clearest public account of life inside the family.

Quick Bio

Who Is Deidre Jenkins?

Deidre Jenkins became known through her marriage to James Brown. Brown was already a major music star by 1970. His songs had reached a wide audience across the United States. His live shows also made him one of the best known names in soul music.

Jenkins did not live the same public life. Deanna later said her mother was a homemaker. She cared for the family while Brown toured and recorded. That role kept her away from much of the press around her husband.

This point matters because many online pages add claims that lack proof. There is no strong public record of a separate public career for Jenkins. There is also no good basis for claims about a large fortune or business empire. A verified biography should stay with what the family and public records support.

How Did Deidre Jenkins and James Brown Get Married?

Deidre Jenkins married James Brown on October 22, 1970. The wedding took place in Barnwell, South Carolina. Reports from that time say they went to the home of Probate Judge Marie J. Black. The ceremony took place at about 6:30 that evening.

Brown was 37 years old at the time. He had already released songs such as Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag and I Got You (I Feel Good). Cold Sweat was also part of his growing music record. His career kept him busy with shows, travel, and studio work.

Jenkins had a very different place in the family. She was not known as a band member or manager. Deanna said her mother was happy being a wife and mother. That simple role explains why fewer records exist about her own daily life.

Her Two Daughters and Family Life

The couple had two daughters, Deanna Brown Thomas and Yamma Brown. Both women later took public roles linked to their father’s name. They also spoke about their childhood. Their comments give useful details about their mother.

Yamma was born in Augusta, Georgia. She later shared a story about the way her father chose her name. Brown had been in Japan and liked the name Mount Fujiyama. He used part of that name when naming his daughter.

Deanna and Yamma later became leaders in the James Brown Family Foundation. Deanna serves as president. Yamma serves as vice president. The group supports music programs and community events linked to Brown’s family name in Augusta.

What Happened in Deidre Jenkins and James Brown’s Marriage?

The hardest part of the marriage was domestic abuse. Yamma and Deanna later said they saw their father hit their mother. These claims came from the daughters themselves. They were not based on gossip from outside the family.

Yamma also wrote about the abuse in her 2014 book Cold Sweat: My Father James Brown and Me. She said she saw violence at home when she was young. During one event, she tried to step in while Brown was attacking her mother. It was a frightening memory for a child.

Deanna also spoke about the pain inside the home. She said there were times when she disliked her father because of what he did to her mother. At the same time, she still loved him as her father. Family feelings can be messy, and their accounts do not hide that fact.

Deidre Jenkins and Brown divorced in 1981. The final divorce date is listed as January 10, 1981. Years later, Brown apologized to his former wife, according to Yamma. Yamma said her mother accepted the apology, but the abuse remained part of the family story.

Deidre Jenkins on Tattletales

Jenkins did appear on national television with Brown. The couple joined the CBS game show Tattletales. Bert Convy hosted the program. Famous couples answered questions about each other for a studio audience.

One listed episode aired on March 18, 1975. James and Deidre appeared with Charlie Brill and Mitzi McCall. George Hamilton and Alana Stewart Hamilton were also on the episode. Another listed Brown appearance aired on March 1, 1976.

The show gave viewers a light picture of the couple. They appeared as a famous husband and wife on a fun TV program. The later words of their daughters showed a much darker home life. That sharp difference is hard to miss.

Deidre Jenkins and Get Up Offa That Thing

A music credit also links Jenkins to Brown’s work. Published credits for Get Up Offa That Thing list Deidra Yvonne Jenkins, Deanna Brown, and Yamma Brown as writers. The song was released in 1976. Brown performed and produced the track.

The song became one of Brown’s known funk records from that period. Its sharp rhythm and repeated call helped make it easy to spot. The family writing credit stayed with the song on later releases. It also appeared in soundtrack records.

Still, one music credit does not prove a full music career. There is no strong public record showing that Jenkins worked as a recording artist. There is also no clear record of a long songwriting career. The safe fact is simple: her name appears in the formal writing credit.

How Get on Up Portrayed Deidre Jenkins

The 2014 film Get on Up told parts of the James Brown story for a movie audience. Chadwick Boseman played Brown. Singer and actress Jill Scott played his second wife, DeeDee Brown. Tate Taylor directed the film.

The movie showed Brown’s rise in music and parts of his private life. It also showed violence in the marriage. A movie can change details for drama. But the wider fact of abuse is backed by later statements from Deanna and Yamma.

A common online error says Jenkins appeared in the movie as herself. That is not true. Jill Scott played DeeDee on screen. Jenkins was the real woman whose marriage helped shape that part of the story.

Life After Divorce and the Brown Family Legacy

After the divorce, Deidre Jenkins stayed mostly outside public life. Reliable records do not show a major public career in the years that followed. Details about her later work and private life are limited. That is better than filling the gaps with guesses.

Claims about her wealth, new marriages, or private business work need strong proof before they belong in a biography. Many sites repeat such claims without showing where they came from. In this case, less is more. The known facts are enough to tell the main story.

James Brown died on December 25, 2006. His daughters kept working with the family name after his death. Deanna and Yamma remained active through the James Brown Family Foundation. Their public work includes music education and community programs in the Augusta area.

Facts About Deidre Jenkins

• DeeDee is a nickname used for her in some public records.
• Marriage to James Brown took place on October 22, 1970.
• Divorce from Brown became final on January 10, 1981.
• Deanna Brown Thomas is one of the couple’s daughters.
• Yamma Brown is their other daughter.
• Deanna described her mother as a homemaker.
• Tattletales featured James and Deidre as a celebrity couple.
• Listed TV appearances include episodes from 1975 and 1976.
• Get Up Offa That Thing carries a writing credit tied to her name.
• Jill Scott played DeeDee Brown in the 2014 film Get on Up.
• Chadwick Boseman played James Brown in the same film.
• Yamma wrote about family abuse in her 2014 memoir Cold Sweat.
• Brown later apologized to his former wife, according to Yamma.
• Most details of Jenkins’s later life stayed private.

FAQs

Who is Deidre Jenkins?

Jenkins is best known as the second wife of James Brown. They married in 1970 and had two daughters. Their marriage ended in 1981. She is also called DeeDee in some records.

When did Jenkins marry James Brown?

Jenkins married James Brown on October 22, 1970. The wedding took place in Barnwell, South Carolina. Brown was already a major singer by that time. Their divorce became final in January 1981.

How many children did Jenkins and James Brown have?

The couple had two daughters, Deanna Brown Thomas and Yamma Brown. Both later took roles in the James Brown Family Foundation. They have also spoken in public about their parents and childhood.

Was Jenkins in Get on Up?

Jenkins was shown as a character in the 2014 film Get on Up, but she did not play herself. Jill Scott played DeeDee Brown. Chadwick Boseman played James Brown.

What happened between Jenkins and James Brown?

Their daughters said Brown abused their mother during the marriage. The couple divorced in 1981. Yamma later said her father apologized to her mother. She also said her mother accepted the apology.