Brenton Wood - American singer and songwriter known for his two 1967 hit singles, "The Oogum Boogum Song" and "Gimme Little Sign". Andrea Marie Truden - American pornographic actress and singer from the disco era. In addition to her given name, she had multiple stage names, including Inger Kissin, Singe Low, Sandra Lips, Andrea Travis, […]

Harvey Fuqua - American rhythm and blues singer, songwriter, record producer, and record label executive. Fuqua founded the seminal R&B/doo-wop group the Moonglows in the 1950s. He is notable as one of the key figures in the development of the Motown label in Detroit, Michigan. Mary Love Comer - American soul and gospel singer, and […]

Nnenna Freelon - American jazz singer, composer, producer, and arranger. Rudy Valee - American singer, musician, actor, and radio host. He was one of the first modern pop stars of the teen idol type.

Wanya Morris - American singer, best known as a member of the R&B group Boyz II Men. Joe Beck - American jazz guitarist who was active for over 30 years.

David Sanborn - American alto saxophonist. Though Sanborn has worked in many genres, his solo recordings typically blend jazz with instrumental pop and R&B. He released his first solo album Taking Off in 1975, but has been playing the saxophone since before he was in high school. Buddy Guy - American blues guitarist and singer. […]

Ahmet Ertegun - Turkish-American businessman, songwriter and philanthropist. Ertegun was the co-founder and president of Atlantic Records. He discovered and championed many leading rhythm and blues and rock musicians. Ertegun also wrote classic blues and pop songs. Hank Jones - American jazz pianist, bandleader, arranger, and composer. Critics and musicians described Jones as eloquent, lyrical, […]

Jean Wells - American soul singer. Robert Cray - American blues guitarist and singer. He has led his own band and won five Grammy Awards.

"Fat Larry" James - Drummer and Founder of American R&B/funk band, The Fat Larry's Band. Johnny Kemp - Bahamian singer, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a songwriter in late 1979 and is perhaps best known for his solo work, including his single "Just Got Paid", which was nominated for a Grammy […]

Eddie Jefferson - Jazz vocalist and lyricist. Johnny Graham -  Lead/rhythm guitar, trumpet, percussionist in American R&B, soul, and funk band, Earth, Wind & Fire. Beverly Lee - American soul singer who was a member of the all-girl vocal pop group, The Shirelles. Syreeta Wright - American singer-songwriter, best known for her music during the early […]

Big Dee Irwin - American singer and songwriter whose biggest hit was a version of "Swinging on a Star" in 1963, recorded as a duet with Little Eva. Louis Armstrong - American trumpeter and vocalist who is among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and different eras in the history […]

Damito Jo - American actress, comedian, and singer. Her second marriage was to her manager James "Biddy" Wood in 1961. Airto Moreira - Brazilian jazz drummer and percussionist. He is married to jazz singer Flora Purim, and their daughter Diana Moreira is also a singer.

Randy Debarge - American R&B/soul singer and bass guitarist, best known for being one of the original members of the popular Motown singing family group DeBarge. Randy is also known for singing co-lead and penning lyrics with brother El on the group's first hit, "I Like It" Abbey Lincoln - American jazz vocalist, songwriter, and […]

Byron Woods - American singer, song writer and musician.  

Barbara Mason - American soul singer with several R&B and pop hits in the 1960s and 1970s, best known for her self-written 1965 hit song "Yes, I'm Ready". Mighty Hannibal - American R&B, soul, and funk singer, songwriter, and record producer. Known for his showmanship, and outlandish costumes often incorporating a pink turban, several of […]

Patti Austin - American R&B, pop, and jazz singer and songwriter. Ronnie Spector - American singer who formed the girl group the Ronettes in 1957 with her elder sister Estelle Bennett and their cousin Nedra Talley. Bennett fronted the group while record producer Phil Spector produced the majority of their output. Bobby Hatfield - American […]

Kenny Gamble - American singer, songwriter and producer.

Percy Mayfield - American rhythm-and-blues singer with a smooth vocal style. He was also a songwriter, known for the songs "Please Send Me Someone to Love" and "Hit the Road Jack", a song popularized by Ray Charles. Pat Metheney - American jazz guitarist and composer. He is the leader of the Pat Metheny Group and […]

Jimmy McCracklin -  American pianist, vocalist, and songwriter. His style contained West Coast blues, Jump blues, and R&B. Over a career that spanned seven decades, he said he had written almost a thousand songs and had recorded hundreds of them.

James JT Taylor -  American singer and actor best known as the former lead singer of the R&B/funk band Kool & the Gang. Before his rise to fame, Taylor was a teacher and amateur night club singer, having first joined a band at the age of 13.

Maysa Leak - American jazz singer better known by her mononym Maysa. She is well known by fans of smooth jazz both for her solo work and for her work with the British band Incognito.

Maxine Brown - American soul and R&B singer. Sarah Dash - American singer and actress. She first appeared on the music scene as a member of Patti LaBelle & The Bluebelles. Edwin Hawkins - American gospel musician, pianist, choir master, composer, and arranger. Ernie Isley -  American musician, best known as a member of the […]

Johnny Nash - American singer-songwriter, best known in the United States for his 1972 hit "I Can See Clearly Now". Primarily a reggae and pop singer, he was one of the first non-Jamaican artists to record reggae music in Kingston.

David Lasley - American recording artist, singer and songwriter best known for his contributions as a background singer for such artists as Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor, Luther Vandross, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, Dusty Springfield and Boz Scaggs and for songs he has written for artists including Bonnie Raitt, Whitney Houston, Anita Baker, Maxine Nightingale, Rita Coolidge, Crystal Gayle, and Luther Vandross, and his solo albums and albums with his '70's […]

Pebbles - American singer-songwriter, businesswoman, record producer and music executive. Reid is perhaps best known for her hit songs during the late 1980s and early 1990s such as "Girlfriend", "Mercedes Boy" and "Giving You the Benefit".

Jeffrey Daniels - American dancer, singer-songwriter and choreographer, most notable for being a founding member of the R&B vocal group Shalamar. In Nigeria he is best known as an Idol series judge Dee Harvey - American R&B singer. He was at one time signed to Motown Label and recorded his first album, Just as I […]

Walter Williams - Founding member of R&B group The O'Jays. Wayne Shorter - American jazz saxophonist and composer. Shorter came to wide prominence in the late 1950s as a member of, and eventually primary composer for, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers.

Valerie Simpson - American husband-and-wife songwriting-production team and recording duo of Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson. Ashford was born in Fairfield, South Carolina, and Simpson in the Bronx, New York City. Branford Marsalis - American saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. While primarily known for his work in jazz as the leader of the Branford Marsalis Quartet, […]

Lester Young - American jazz tenor saxophonist and occasional clarinetist. Coming to prominence while a member of Count Basie's orchestra, Young was one of the most influential players on his instrument. Yolanda Adams - American gospel singer, record producer, actress, and host of her own nationally syndicated morning gospel show. She has sold nearly 10 […]

Robert Manuel Clivillés - American record producer, songwriter, arranger, and music video director most noted for his work with C+C Music Factory, a group he founded with musical partner David Cole. Kenny Dorham - American jazz trumpeter, singer, and composer. Dorham's talent is frequently lauded by critics and other musicians, but he never received the […]

Bobby Parker - American blues-rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Wilton Felder - American saxophone and bass player, and is best known as a founding member of the Jazz Crusaders, later known as The Crusaders. Van Morrison -  Northern Irish singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer whose recording career spans seven decades.

Archie Bell - American singer from R&B vocal group, Archie Bell & Drells. Don Blackman - American jazz-funk pianist, singer, and songwriter. He performed with Parliament-Funkadelic, Earth, Wind and Fire, Louis Hayes, and Nicolas Dietz. Terry Callier -  American soul, folk and jazz guitarist and singer-songwriter. General Johnson - Chairmen of the Board and an […]

Sam Gooden - American soul singer. He is best known for being an original member of the successful group The Impressions from its beginnings as The Roosters in the 1950s. Bobby Purify - American soul singer. Horace Silver - American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger, particularly in the hard bop style that he helped pioneer […]

Memphis Slim - American blues pianist, singer, and composer. He led a series of bands that, reflecting the popular appeal of jump blues, included saxophones, bass, drums, and piano. A song he first cut in 1947, "Every Day I Have the Blues", has become a blues standard, recorded by many other artists.

Beyonce - American singer, songwriter, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Beyoncé performed in various singing and dancing competitions as a child. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as the lead singer of Destiny's Child, one of the best-selling girl groups of all time.