John Coltrane (American jazz saxophonist and composer. Working in the bebop and hard bop idioms early in his career, Coltrane helped pioneer the use of modes and was at the forefront of free jazz.) Ray Charles (American singer, songwriter, pianist, and composer. Among friends and fellow musicians he preferred being called "Brother Ray." He was often referred […]
Wayne Henderson (American soul jazz and hard bop trombonist and record producer. In 1961, he co-founded the soul jazz/hard bop group The Jazz Crusaders.)
Sam Rivers (American jazz musician and composer. He performed on soprano and tenor saxophones, bass clarinet, flute, harmonica and piano. Active in jazz since the early 1950s, he earned wider attention during the mid-1960s spread of free jazz.) Cecil Womack (American singer, songwriter and record producer. He was one of the musical Womack brothers, and had success […]
Gary Bartz (American jazz saxophonist.) Little Benny (American trumpet player, who was a part of the Washington D.C.-based go-go band Rare Essence.)
Don Cornelius (American television show host and producer who was best known as the creator of the nationally syndicated dance and music show Soul Train, which he hosted from 1971 until 1993.) Allan Barnes ( American jazz musician) Keith Barrow (American Disco/Soul singer and songwriter born and raised in Chicago.)
Ben E. King (American soul and R&B singer and record producer.) Keni Burke (American singer, songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist who began his career with four siblings in the 1970s band the Five Stairsteps.) Sean Levert (American singer-songwriter and actor. Levert is best known as a member of the R&B vocal group LeVert. Levert was the son of O'Jays lead […]
Jean Luc Ponty ( French jazz violinist and composer.) Tommy Tate (American soul singer and songwriter, who had three hits on the R&B chart in the 1970s.)
Marilyn McCoo (American singer, actress, and television presenter, who is best known for being the lead female vocalist in the group The 5th Dimension, as well as hosting the 1980s music countdown series Solid Gold.) Cissy Houston (American soul and gospel singer. After a successful career singing backup for such artists as Roy Hamilton, Dionne […]
Donny Hathaway (American soul singer, keyboardist, songwriter, and arranger. Hathaway has been described as a "soul legend" by Rolling Stone.) Howard Hewett (Grammy Award-winning American singer–songwriter. Hewett rose to fame as the lead vocalist of the Grammy winning R&B/soul vocal group Shalamar.) Herb Fame (American singer from vocal duo, Peaches & Herb)
Freddie Jackson (American Grammy-nominated singer.) Vanessa Bell Armstrong (Gospel singer who released her debut album Peace Be Still in 1983.)
Arlene Smith (American singer/writer of vocal group The Chantels) Darondo (American soul singer from the San Francisco Bay Area.) Richard Street (Richard Allen Street was an American soul and R&B singer, most notable as a member of Motown vocal group The Temptations from 1971 to 1993.)
Thomas McClary (American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and record producer best known as the founder and lead guitarist of The Commodores. McClary is credited with having created the signature sound of The Commodores' original music.)
