Origin: Barnwell, SC

Decades: 1950's, 1960's, 1970's, 1980's, 1990's, and 2000's

"Soul Brother Number One," "the Godfather of Soul," "the Hardest Working Man in Show Business," "Mr. Dynamite" -- those are mighty titles, but no one can question that James Brown earned them more than any other performer. Other singers were more popular, others were equally skilled, but few other African-American musicians were so influential over the course of popular music. And no other musician, pop or otherwise, put on a more exciting, exhilarating stage show: Brown's performances were marvels of athle... Read More

Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, The Drifters and Louis Jordan

Aerosmith, Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra, Beastie Boys, De La Soul, EPMD, Kool & The Gang, Michael Jackson, Prince, Public Enemy, Talking Heads, The Brand New Heavies, The Isley Brothers, Khaled, Joe Cocker, Paris, Jungle Brothers, Digital Underground, The Who, Terence Trent D'Arby, MC Hammer, Sir Mix-A-Lot, Parliament, The (International) Noise Conspiracy, Ohio Players, The Jackson 5, Con Funk Shun, Eric B. & Rakim, Earth, Wind & Fire, The Gap Band, Hamilton Bohannon, Breakestra, Slum Village, James Carr, Funkadelic, Kool Moe Dee, Kleeer, Junior Wells, Big Audio Dynamite, Sly Stone and Rick James