The J.B.'s initial lineup included bassist William "Bootsy" Collins and his brother, guitarist Phelps "Catfish" Collins, formerly of the obscure funk band The Pacemakers; Bobby Byrd (founder of the original Famous Flames singing group) (organ), and John "Jabo" Starks (drums), both holdovers from Brown's 1960s band; three inexperienced horn players, Clayton "Chicken" Gunnells, Darryl "Hasaan" Jamison, and Robert McCollough; and conga player Johnny Griggs.

This version of the J.B.'s played on some of Brown's most intense funk recordings, including "Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine", "Super Bad", "Soul Power", and "Talkin' Loud and Sayin' Nothing".

They also accompanied Brown on a European tour (during which they recorded the long-delayed live album Love Power Peace), performed on the Sex Machine double LP, and released two instrumental singles, the much-sampled "The Grunt" and "These Are the J.B.'s".

During the 1980s and 1990s, Maceo Parker and Fred Wesley intermittently toured under the name The JB Horns, sometimes with other former Brown sidemen such as Alfred "Pee Wee" Ellis.

A version of the J.B.'s including Fred Wesley, Bootsy Collins, Pee Wee Ellis, Bobby Byrd, and Clyde Stubblefield assembled to record the 1999 "reunion" album Bring the Funk on Down, dedicated to the memory of St. Clair Pinckney.

A reunion of the original J.B.'s rhythm section, with Bootsy and Phelps Collins, Clyde Stubblefield, and Jabo Starks, and supplemented by Bernie Worrell, recorded the Superbad movie soundtrack.

Fred Wesley (1968–1975, 1983)Maceo Parker (1964–1969, 1973–1975, 1984–1988)Jimmy Nolen (1965–1969, 1972–1983)Fred Thomas (1971–1975, 1980–1983, 1993–2006)John "Jabo" Starks (1966–1975)Clyde Stubblefield (1966–1970)Bootsy Collins (1970–1971)Phelps Collins (1970–1971)St. Clair Pinckney (1962–1999)Johnny Griggs (1971–1979, 1984–1988)Sweet Charles Sherrell (1969–1979, 1983–1997)Pee Wee Ellis (1965–1969)Bernard Odum(1959–1968,1994-1997)Hearlon "Cheese" Martin (1970–1975)Darryl "Hassan" Jamison (1970–1971, 1972–1975)Jerone "Jassan" Sanford (1971–1975, 1978–1983)Clayton "Chicken" Gunnells (1970–1971)Robert "Chopper" McCollough (1970)Jimmy Parker (1971–1975)Ike Oakley (1972–1974)Russel Crimes (1971–1978)Robert Lee Coleman (1971, 1976)Bobby Roach (1970–1972)John Morgan (1971–1975)Hollie Farris (1976–1994, 2001–2006)Joe Poff (1976–1981, 1986, 1991)Melvin Parker (1964–1969, 1976–1977)Tyrone Jefferson (1976–1980,1984, 1991–2006)Tony Cook (1976–1993, 2005–2006)David Weston (1976–1982)Keith Jenkins (1994–2006)Jeff Watkins (1994–2006)Arthur Dickson (1978– 1998)Ron Laster (1978–2006)Robert "Mousey" Thompson (1993–2006)Aaron Purdie (197?–198?