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Margie Hendrix
Margie Hendrix
American rhythm and blues singer
1
Etta James
Etta James
American recording artist; singer
2
Maurice White
Maurice White
American musician, founder of Earth, Wind & Fire
3
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
American singer, songwriter, and pianist
4
Natalie Cole
Natalie Cole
American singer and songwriter
5
Raphael Saadiq
Raphael Saadiq
American recording artist; singer, songwriter, musician, guitarist, and record producer
6
David "Fathead" Newman
David "Fathead" Newman
American jazz and rhythm-and-blues saxophonist
7
Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer
8
Little Willie John
Little Willie John
American recording artist; R&B singer
9
James Cleveland
James Cleveland
American musician
10
Joe South
Joe South
US singer, songwriter and guitarist
11
Gladys Knight & the Pips
Gladys Knight & the Pips
American R&B/soul band
12
King Curtis
King Curtis
American saxophonist (1934-1971)
13
Irma Thomas
Irma Thomas
American soul and rhythm and blues singer
14
Mary Wells
Mary Wells
American pop/soul singer
15
The Emotions
The Emotions
American vocal group from Chicago, Illinois
16
Rose Marie McCoy
Rose Marie McCoy
American songwriter
17
Esther Phillips
Esther Phillips
American R&B singer
18
Bill Lee
Bill Lee
American musician and composer
19
Jerry Wexler
Jerry Wexler
American music journalist and producer
20
Luther Vandross
Luther Vandross
American singer, songwriter, and record producer (1951-2005)
21
Solomon Burke
Solomon Burke
American singer
22
Ike & Tina Turner
Ike & Tina Turner
American musical duo
23
Henry Glover
Henry Glover
American songwriter, arranger, record producer and trumpet player
24
Samuel David Moore
Samuel David Moore
American musician
25
Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson
American recording artist; R&B singer-songwriter and record producer
26
Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan
American singer-songwriter
27
Melba Moore
Melba Moore
American singer, actress
28
Ronnie Milsap
Ronnie Milsap
American recording artist; country music singer and pianist
29
Aaron Neville
Aaron Neville
American musician
30
Donny Hathaway
Donny Hathaway
American singer-songwriter and musician (1945-1979)
31
Jeff Healey
Jeff Healey
Canadian musician
32
Don Covay
Don Covay
American musician
33
Dinah Washington
Dinah Washington
American singer, songwriter, pianist
34
Sam & Dave
Sam & Dave
American soul and R&B duo
35
Bettye LaVette
Bettye LaVette
American soul singer-songwriter
36
Charlie Rich
Charlie Rich
American country music singer and musician
37
Jerry Jemmott
Jerry Jemmott
American musician
38
Bobby Bland
Bobby Bland
American soul & blues musician
39
Freddie Jackson
Freddie Jackson
American singer
40
Bobby Womack
Bobby Womack
American singer-songwriter and musician
41
Ben E. King
Ben E. King
American soul and R&B singer and record producer
42
Boz Scaggs
Boz Scaggs
American musician
43
Ledisi
Ledisi
American R&B and jazz recording artist, songwriter and actress.
44
Otis Redding
Otis Redding
American singer, songwriter and record producer
45
Ashford & Simpson
Ashford & Simpson
songwriting-production team
46
Jo Armstead
Jo Armstead
singer and songwriter
47
Michael McDonald
Michael McDonald
American recording artist; singer-songwriter, keyboardist, and record producer
48
William Bell
William Bell
American soul singer and songwriter
49
Joe Cocker
Joe Cocker
English recording artist; rock and blues singer (1944-2014)
50
Billy Preston
Billy Preston
American musician whose work encompassed R&B, rock, soul, funk, and gospel (1946-2006)
51
Ruth Brown
Ruth Brown
American singer-songwriter (1928-2006)
52
George Duke
George Duke
American keyboardist, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer (1946-2013)
53
Jackie Wilson
Jackie Wilson
American singer
54
Little Richard
Little Richard
American pianist, singer and songwriter
55
Tevin Campbell
Tevin Campbell
US singer-songwriter, actor
56
Billy Ocean
Billy Ocean
singer-songwriter
57
Wilson Pickett
Wilson Pickett
American singer and songwriter
58
Kevin Toney
Kevin Toney
American composer
59
Patti LaBelle
Patti LaBelle
American singer-songwriter and actress
60
Philip Bailey
Philip Bailey
American R&B, soul, gospel and funk singer, songwriter, percussionist and actor
61
Stewart Levine
Stewart Levine
American record producer
62
Kelly Price
Kelly Price
American songwriter, singer
63
The Miracles
The Miracles
American rhythm and blues vocal group
Intro
American recording artist; musician, singer, songwriter
Awards Received
Polar Music Prize
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
Library of Congress Living Legend
Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres‎
Florida Artists Hall of Fame
Kennedy Center Honors
National Medal of Arts
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
Blues Hall of Fame
lifetime achievement award
News

Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and composer. Among friends and fellow musicians he preferred being called "Brother Ray". He was often referred to as "the Genius". Charles was blinded during childhood due to glaucoma.

Charles pioneered the soul music genre during the 1950s by combining blues, jazz, rhythm and blues, and gospel styles into the music he recorded for Atlantic. He contributed to the integration of country music, rhythm and blues, and pop music during the 1960s with his crossover success on ABC Records, notably with his two Modern Sounds albums. While he was with ABC, Charles became one of the first black musicians to be granted artistic control by a mainstream record company.

Charles' 1960 hit "Georgia On My Mind" was the first of his three career No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. His 1962 album Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music became his first album to top the Billboard 200. Charles had multiple singles reach the Top 40 on various Billboard charts: 44 on the US R&B singles chart, 11 on the Hot 100 singles chart, 2 on the Hot Country singles charts.

Charles cited Nat King Cole as a primary influence, but his music was also influenced by Louis Jordan and Charles Brown. He had a lifelong friendship and occasional partnership with Quincy Jones. Frank Sinatra called Ray Charles "the only true genius in show business," although Charles downplayed this notion. Billy Joel said, "This may sound like sacrilege, but I think Ray Charles was more important than Elvis Presley".

For his musical contributions, Charles received the Kennedy Center Honors, the National Medal of Arts, and the Polar Music Prize. He won 18 Grammy Awards, including 5 posthumously. Charles was honored with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1987, and 10 of his recordings have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Rolling Stone ranked Charles No. 10 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, and No. 2 on their list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time.
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