Dee C Lee　

Cleo Sol　

Rockie Robbins　

Born Edward W. Robbins, Jr. in Minneapolis, balladeer Rockie Robbins began singing at an early age. Working with famed arranger/producers Richard Evans (Natalie Cole, Peabo Bryson) and ..more

Maurice White　

Singer/drummer/songwriter/producer Maurice White founded the ’70s supergroup Earth, Wind ＆ Fire. White, a former session drummer for legendary Chicago-based labels OKeh Records and {@Chess ..more

Sheila E　

During the mid-’80s, Sheila E. was the biggest and brightest of Prince’s protegees, unique in seeming that she could stand toe to toe with the Purple One. Certainly during his post-Revoluti ..more

Candi Staton　

Born March 13, 1940, in Hanceville, AL, Candi Stanton sang with the Jewell Gospel Trio as a teenager. They toured the traditional gospel circuit in the 1950s with the Soul Stirrers, C.L. ..more

Sos Band　

The S.O.S. Band hit with a two-million-selling single, Take Your Time (Do It Right), their first time out, before having several hit singles written and produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Le ..more

Bill Withers　

Songwriter/singer/guitarist Bill Withers is best remembered for the classic Lean on Me and his other million-selling singles Ain’t No Sunshine and Use Me, but he has a sizable cache ..more

Chaka Khan　

Best known in the mainstream for her superb 1984 cover of Prince’s I Feel for You, R＆B singer Chaka Khan enjoyed solo success as well as popularity as a member of the group Rufus. Bor ..more

Chic　

There can be little argument that Chic was disco’s greatest band; and, working in a heavily producer-dominated field, they were most definitely a band. By the time Chic appeared in the la ..more

Average White Band　

Their self-effacing name to the contrary, Average White Band was anything but -- one of the few white groups to cross the color line and achieve success and credibility playing funk, with their tig ..more

Curtis Mayfield　

Perhaps because he didn’t cross over to the pop audience as heavily as Motown’s stars, it may be that the scope of Curtis Mayfield’s talents and contributions have yet to be fully recognized. ..more

Otis Redding　

One of the most influential soul singers of the 1960s, Otis Redding exemplified to many listeners the power of Southern deep soul -- hoarse, gritty vocals, brassy arrangements, and an emoti ..more

Donna Summer　

Donna Summer’s title as the Queen of Disco wasn’t mere hype -- she was one of the very few disco performers to enjoy a measure of career longevity, and her consistent chart success was riva ..more

Sly & The Family Stone　

Sly ＆ the Family Stone harnessed all of the disparate musical and social trends of the late ’60s, creating a wild, brilliant fusion of soul, rock, R＆B, psychedelia, and funk that bro ..more

Al Green　

Al Green was the first great soul singer of the ’70s and arguably the last great Southern soul singer. With his seductive singles for Hi Records in the early ’70s, Green bridged the gap ..more

Temptations　

Thanks to their fine-tuned choreography -- and even finer harmonies -- the Temptations became the definitive male vocal group of the 1960s; one of Motown’s most elastic acts, they tackled both l ..more

Sam Cooke　

Sam Cooke was the most important soul singer in history -- he was also the inventor of soul music, and its most popular and beloved performer in both the black and white communities. Equally ..more

Kool & The Gang　

Formed as a jazz ensemble in the mid-’60s, Kool ＆ the Gang became one of the most inspired and influential funk units during the ’70s, and one of the most popular R＆B groups of the ’80s af ..more

The Isley Brothers　

First formed in the early ’50s, the Isley Brothers enjoyed one of the longest, most influential, and most diverse careers in the pantheon of popular music -- over the course of nearly a half-centur ..more