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 […]

Chubby Checker - American rock and roll singer and dancer. He is widely known for popularizing many dance styles, including The Twist dance style, with his 1960 hit cover of Hank Ballard & The Midnighters' R&B song "The Twist", and the Pony dance style with the 1961 cover of the song "Pony Time". Ronnie Laws […]

Walter Bishop Jr. - American jazz pianist. Nona Hendryx - American vocalist, record producer, songwriter, musician, author, and actress. Hendryx is known for her work as a solo artist as well as for being one-third of the trio Labelle, who had a hit with "Lady Marmalade".

Arlene Smith - Lead singer of R&B group The Chantels. Darondo - American soul singer from the San Francisco Bay Area. Richard Street - American soul and R&B singer, most notable as a member of Motown vocal group The Temptations from 1971 to 1993.

Thomas McClary - American musician, 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.

Toni Braxton - American R&B singer. She has sold over 70 million records worldwide and is one of the best-selling female artists in history. Braxton has won seven Grammy Awards, nine Billboard Music Awards, seven American Music Awards, and numerous other accolades.

The Black Heritage Fest (BHF) presenting by Southeast Management District is an extensive cultural experience that promotes diversity and cultural sensitivity filled with community social responsibility, a two day-long festival honoring local giants, featuring local artists, guest speakers, exhibits, poets, crafts people and culminating with legends of the music industry which draws thousands each year! […]

Ivory Joe Hunter - American rhythm-and-blues singer, songwriter, and pianist. Thelonius Monk - American jazz pianist and composer. Richard Street - American soul and R&B singer, most notable as a member of Motown vocal group The Temptations from 1971 to 1993. Neneh Cherry - Swedish singer-songwriter, rapper, occasional DJ and broadcaster.

Billy Higgins - American jazz drummer. He played mainly free jazz and hard bop. Lester Bowie - American jazz trumpet player and composer. He was a member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians and co-founded the Art Ensemble of Chicago.

Shirley Caesar - American gospel singer whose career has spanned seven decades. She has won 11 Grammys in addition to Dove Awards and Stellar Awards; Caesar is known as the "First Lady of Gospel Music" and "The Queen of Gospel Music". Dorothy Moore - American blues, gospel, and R&B singer best known for her 1976 […]

Karyn White - American singer who was popular during the late 1980s and early 1990s. She is known for several hit singles including "Superwoman", "Secret Rendezvous", "The Way You Love Me", and the US Hot 100 No. 1 single "Romantic". Robert Parker - American R&B singer and musician. His sole hit was "Barefootin'", and he […]

Wyclef Jean - Haitian rapper, musician, and actor. At the age of nine, Jean immigrated to the United States with his family. He first achieved fame as a member of the New Jersey hip hop group the Fugees, alongside Lauryn Hill and Pras Michel.

Wilbert Hart - American soul singer, songwriter, and producer, best known as a founding and last surviving member of the musical group the Delfonics. George McCrae - American soul and disco singer who is most famous for his 1974 hit "Rock Your Baby". Jennifer Holiday -  American actress and singer. She started her career on […]

Eddie Harris - American jazz musician, best known for playing tenor saxophone and for introducing the electrically amplified saxophone. He was also fluent on the electric piano and organ. His best-known compositions are "Freedom Jazz Dance", popularized by Miles Davis in 1966, and "Listen Here". David Mancuso - American disc jockey who created the popular […]

Steve Cropper - American guitarist, songwriter and record producer. He is the guitarist of the Stax Records house band, Booker T. & the M.G.'s, which backed artists such as Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas and Johnnie Taylor. Dizzy Gillespie - American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator and singer. He was a […]

Bettye Swann - American soul singer. She is best known for her 1967 hit song "Make Me Yours". Brenda J. Payton - Vocalist who came to prominence as the lead singer and forming member of American R&B group, Brenda & The Tabulations.  

Don Davis - American record producer, songwriter and guitarist who combined a career in music with one in banking. Bert Reid - Saxophonist, singer, songwriter and producer who came to prominence in the American R&B / funk / disco group.  

Bootsy Collins - American bass guitarist and singer. Rising to prominence with James Brown in the early 1970s, and later with Parliament-Funkadelic, Collins established himself as one of the leading names and innovators in funk with his driving basslines and humorous vocals. Eddie Henderson - American jazz trumpet and flugelhorn player. He came to prominence […]

Weldon Irvine Jr. - American composer, playwright, poet, pianist, organist, and keyboardist.

Cleo Laine - English jazz and pop singer and an actress, known for her scat singing and for her vocal range. Though her natural range is that of a contralto, she is able to produce a G above high C, giving her an overall compass of well over three octaves.

Bernard Edwards - American bass player, singer, songwriter and record producer, known primarily for his work in disco music with guitarist Nile Rodgers, with whom he co-founded Chic. In 2017, Edwards was selected as the 53rd greatest bassist of all time by Bass Player magazine. Dooley Silverspoon - American singer. Yvonne Wright - American songwriter […]

Carmen Lundy - Grammy nominated American jazz singer. She has been performing for three decades, with a focus on original material. She has been positively compared with Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan. Carmen Lundy is the sister of bassist Curtis Lundy. Phil Terry - Member of R&B group, The Intruders. Ronald Bell - […]

Earl Carroll -  Lead vocalist of the doo-wop group The Cadillacs. Maxine Nightingale - English R&B and soul music singer. She is best known for her hits in the 1970s, with the million seller "Right Back Where We Started From", "Love Hit Me", and "Lead Me On".

Clifford Curry - American beach music, soul music, and R&B singer.    

Jeff Lorber - American keyboardist, composer, and record producer. After six previous nominations, Lorber won his first Grammy Award on January 28, 2018 for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for Prototype by his band the Jeff Lorber Fusion.