Cedar Walton - American hard bop jazz pianist. He came to prominence as a member of drummer Art Blakey's band, The Jazz Messengers, before establishing a long career as a bandleader and composer. Eartha Kitt - American singer, actress, comedian, dancer, and activist known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 recordings of […]

David Ruffin - American soul singer and musician most famous for his work as one of the lead singers of the Temptations during the group's "Classic Five" period as it was later known. He was the lead voice on such famous songs as "My Girl" and "Ain't Too Proud to Beg." Frankie Knuckles -  American […]

Booker Newbury III - American singer and keyboardist, who was a member of the mid 1970s soul groups Sweet Thunder, and Impact, before pursuing a solo career. He is probably best remembered for his 1983 hit "Love Town". Harry McGilberry - American R&B and soul singer and latter-day bass singer for The Temptations between 1995 […]

William "Will" Powell - American singer and founding member of R&B group, The O'Jays.

Edwin Starr - American singer and songwriter. Starr was famous for his Norman Whitfield-produced Motown singles of the 1970s, most notably the number-one hit "War". Starr was born in Nashville and raised in Ohio, and later lived in Detroit while singing for Ric-Tic and Motown Records. Richie Havens - American singer-songwriter and guitarist. His music […]

Aaron Neville - American R&B and soul vocalist, musician and actor. He has had four platinum albums and four Top 10 hits in the United States, including three that went to #1 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. "Tell It Like It Is", from 1966, was #1 on the Soul chart for five weeks.  

Etta James - American singer who performed in various genres, including blues, R&B, soul, rock and roll, jazz, and gospel. Barbara Carroll - American jazz pianist and vocalist. Edmund Sylvers - American singer–songwriter, actor and musician. Sylvers was best known as the lead singer of the American family disco/soul music vocal group The Sylvers, which […]

Anita Baker - American singer-songwriter. She is one of the most popular singers of soulful ballads during the height of the quiet storm period in the 1980s. Starting her career in the late 1970s with the funk band Chapter 8, Baker released her first solo album, The Songstress, in 1983. Jazzie B - British DJ […]

Bobby Blue Bland - American blues singer. Bland developed a sound that mixed gospel with the blues and R&B. L.J. Reynolds - American singer/songwriter lead singer of R&B group, The Dramatics. Bobby Hutcherson - American jazz vibraphone and marimba player. "Little B's Poem", from the 1966 Blue Note album Components, is one of his best-known […]

Phil Flowers - American singer and composer.

Chuck Willis - American blues, rhythm and blues, and rock and roll singer and songwriter. His biggest hits, "C. C. Rider" and "What Am I Living For", both reached No.1 on the Billboard R&B chart. He was known as The King of the Stroll for his performance of the 1950s dance the stroll. Marvin Junior […]

Rick James - American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, James began his musical career in his teen years. Sadao Watanabe - Japanese jazz musician who plays alto saxophone, sopranino saxophone, and flute. He is known for his bossa nova recordings, although his work encompasses many styles, with collaborations […]