James Brown Advertises Breakup

"Godfather of Soul" James Brown has announced his breakup from his wife, Tomi Rea Brown, with a full-page ad in the show-business trade newspaper Variety.

In the July 21-27 weekly edition of the paper, the ad features a photo of the couple and their now 2-year-old son, James Joseph Brown II, smiling at Walt Disney World while posing with the costumed character Goofy.

Above the photo, a statement said that because of their "heavy, demanding tour schedule, they have decided to go their separate ways. There are no hard feelings, just a mutual show business decision made by both parties."

The couple, who married in December 2001, added that they decided to break up "with love and affection." Tomi Rea is one of Brown's background singers.

In a short article Tuesday, Variety reported: "A colleague of Brown's said the photo was chosen to emphasize the happy times of the relationship, rather than the hard times of a breakup." Representatives for the 70-year-old soul singer did not immediately return calls for comment.

The pair is touring together in Europe, the newspaper added, and may continue working together despite the breakup.

Brown's previous wife, Adrienne, died in 1996 after undergoing plastic surgery.