Gilles Pétard CollectionMarva Whitney, a funk singer who ****** and recorded with James Brown during the late 1960s, passed away on Saturday at age 68.  NME.com reports that she **** of complications from pneumonia.  According to Billboard, Whitney joined the James Brown Revue in 1967 and performed with the group until 1969.  While a part of Brown's band, the singer was given the nickname "Soul Sister #1."

Whitney also recorded as a solo artist with Brown's group The JB's backing her up.  Her most successful single, "It's My Thing (You Can't Tell Me Who to Sock It To)" -- a reworked version of The Isley Brothers hit "It's Your Thing" -- reached the top 20 of Billboard's R&B chart in '69.  A number of her tunes later were sampled by a variety of hip-hop artists, including forthcoming Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Public Enemy.

Prior to working with Brown, Whitney performed with her family group the Manning Gospel Singers.  Later in her career, she sang with an act called the JB's Allstars, which featured various James Brown Revue alumni.

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