Kenny Dorham - American jazz trumpeter, singer, and composer. Dorham's talent is frequently lauded by critics and other musicians, but he never received the kind of attention or public recognition from the jazz establishment that many of his peers did.  

Bobby Parker - American blues-rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is best known for his 1961 song "Watch Your Step", a single for the V-Tone record label which reached the Billboard Hot 100; the song was performed by, and influenced, the Beatles among others. Wilton Felder - American saxophone and bass player, and is best […]

Archie Bell - American R&B vocal group from Houston, Texas, and one of the main acts on Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff's Philadelphia International Records. 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 […]

Sam Gooden -  American soul singer. He was best known for being an original member of the successful 1991 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-inducted R&B 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 […]

Terry Ellis - American singer-songwriter and actor. Ellis is best known as a founding member of the R&B/pop vocal group En Vogue which formed in 1989. Buddy Miles - American composer, drummer, guitarist, vocalist and producer. He was a founding member of the Electric Flag, a member of Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys, founder and […]

Ce Ce Peniston -  American singer and former beauty queen. In the early 1990s, she scored five number one hits on the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play. Her signature song "Finally" reached the number 5 spot on the Hot 100 and number 2 in the UK Top 75.  

Gloria Gaynor - American singer, best known for the disco era hits "I Will Survive", "Let Me Know", "I Am What I Am", and her version of "Never Can Say Goodbye". Latimore - American blues and R&B singer, songwriter and pianist. In 2017, Latimore was inducted in to the Blues Hall of Fame. Beloyd - […]

David Lewis - Lead singer/guitarist for the 1980s, and 1990s R&B, POP supergroup Atlantic Starr. Earl Nelson - American soul singer and songwriter. He started his career in the doo-wop group the Hollywood Flames in the 1950s before founding the R&B duo Bob & Earl with Bobby Byrd. As Jackie Lee, he's best known for […]

Barry White - American singer and songwriter. Gloria Jones - American singer and songwriter who first found success in the United Kingdom, being recognized there as "The Queen of Northern Soul". Ali Ollie Woodson - American R&B singer, musician, songwriter, keyboardist, drummer, and occasional actor best known for his twelve years with the Temptations alongside […]

Bruce Edward Broadus - Lead singer from American R&B group Damian Dane. Lewie Steinberg - American musician best known as the original bass guitar player for the soul music group Booker T. & the M.G.'s. Gene Page - American conductor, composer, arranger and record producer, most active from the mid-1960s through the mid-1980s. Joni Sledge […]

Oliver Lake - American jazz saxophonist, flutist, composer, poet, and visual artist. He is known mainly for alto saxophone, but he also performs on soprano and flute. During the 1960s, Lake worked with the Black Artists Group in St. Louis. Amy Winehouse - English singer and songwriter. She was known for her deep, expressive contralto […]

George Howard - American smooth jazz saxophonist. Sylvia Moy -  American songwriter and record producer, formerly associated with the Motown Records group. The first woman at the Detroit-based music label to write and produce for Motown acts, she is probably best known for her songs written with and for Stevie Wonder.

Earl Klugh - American acoustic guitarist and composer. He has won one Grammy award and thirteen nominations. Klugh was awarded the “1977” Best Recording Award For Performance and Sound” for his album “Finger Painting” by “Swing Journal” a Japanese jazz magazine. Izora Armstead - American singer-songwriter. Known for her distinctive alto voice, Armstead first achieved […]

Billy Ward - Lead singer of Billy Ward and his Dominoes. Brook Benton - American singer and songwriter who was popular with rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and pop music audiences during the late 1950s and early 1960s, with hits such as "It's Just a Matter of Time" and "Endlessly", many of which he […]

Deah Dame - Lead singer of the duo group Damian Dame. Eric Gale - American blues rock guitarist, originally hailed as a child prodigy. As of 2022, Gales has recorded nineteen albums for major record labels and has done session and tribute work. Chico Hamilton - American jazz drummer and bandleader. He came to prominence […]

Shirley Jones - American R&B singer best known as a member and lead vocalist of The Jones Girls, who were a trio of sisters that had a number of hit singles in late 1970's and early 80's. Shirley went on to have a solo career after the group disbanded in 1984. Marlena Shaw - American […]

John Coltrane -  American jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Ray Charles - American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries […]

Don Cornelius - American television show host and producer widely known as the creator of the nationally syndicated dance and music show Soul Train, which he hosted from 1971 until 1993. Cornelius sold the show to MadVision Entertainment in 2008. Allan Barnes - American jazz musician, based in Detroit for the majority of his career. […]

Ben E King - American soul and R&B singer and record producer. He is best known as the singer and co-composer of "Stand by Me".   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 […]

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.

Cissy Houston -  American soul and gospel singer. After a successful career singing backup for such artists as Roy Hamilton, Dionne Warwick, Elvis Presley, and Aretha Franklin, Houston embarked on a solo career, winning two Grammy Awards for her work. Frankie Lymon - American rock and roll/rhythm and blues singer and songwriter, best known as […]