During the late '80s, Al B. Sure! enjoyed a brief run as one of new jack swing's most popular romantic singers. Born Al Brown in Boston, he grew up in Mount Vernon, NY, listening to smooth crooners like Marvin Gaye and Johnny Mathis; he later became interested in rap and added that skill to his vocal repertoire. At age ten, he and a friend... [+] Read More

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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 between deep soul and smooth Philadelphia soul. He incorporated elements of gospel, interjecting his performances with wild moans and wails, but his records were... [+] Read More

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In the mid-'60s, pre-stardom Barry White produced singer Felice Taylor, whose vocals were reminiscent of Diana Ross, for Bob Keane's R&B label Bronco Records. Taylor's only Billboard-charting single was "It May Be Winter Outside (But in My Heart It's Spring)," reaching number 44 R&B, number 42 pop in early 1967 (her singles did well in the... [+] Read More

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A contemporary soul singer whose smooth, yet robust vocals bring energy and emotion to even his most serene recordings, Gerald LeVert grew up in the shadows of his father, Eddie LeVert Sr. of the O'Jays. As a child, his father's status in the music industry nurtured and helped prepare Gerald for his prosperous music career as a writer, arranger,... [+] Read More

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Session pianist Leon Huff became half of a seminal R&B songwriting and production team when he teamed with Kenny Gamble in 1965. Huff played on sessions for Phil Spector, the Ronettes, and Carole King in New York City before moving to Philadelphia. He formed the Locomotions, and did sessions for Cameo and Swan. Huff performed on the song "The... [+] Read More

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English vocalist Lisa Stansfield was the lead singer of the group the Blue Zone and featured on Coldcut's "People Hold On" in 1989. She zoomed into the spotlight with Affection in 1990. The album went platinum and earned her a number three pop and number one R&B single with "All Around the World." Affection and its follow-up, Real Love, were... [+] Read More

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The longtime support unit for R&B love man Barry White, the 40-piece Love Unlimited Orchestra's lush, string-laden sound helped set the stage for the emergence of disco. The ensemble was originally formed by White to back his female proteges Love Unlimited beginning with their 1972 debut LP; the orchestra soon began supporting White himself as... [+] Read More

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Michael Jackson was unquestionably the biggest pop star of the '80s, and certainly one of the most popular recording artists of all time. In his prime, Jackson was an unstoppable juggernaut, possessed of all the tools to dominate the charts seemingly at will: an instantly identifiable voice, eye-popping dance moves, stunning musical versatility,... [+] Read More

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In a musical career that has spanned six decades, Quincy Jones has earned his reputation as a renaissance man of American music. Jones has distinguished himself as a bandleader, a solo artist, a sideman, a songwriter, a producer, an arranger, a film composer, and a record label executive, and outside of music, he's also written books, produced... [+] Read More

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Best known for their work with Chic in the late '70s, siblings Debbie, Kim, Joni, and Kathy Sledge -- collectively Sister Sledge -- reached the height of their popularity during the disco era but had been recording since the early '70s and were still active in the late '90s. The group was formed in Philadelphia in 1971, when the sisters' ages... [+] Read More

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A pre-stardom Barry White began using singer Viola Wills as a session vocalist on sides that he produced for Bob Keane's Bronco/Mustang labels. In the mid-'60s, Keane -- known for hits by Richie Valens, the Bobby Fuller Four, and Johnny Crawford of ABC-TV's hit western The Rifleman -- wanted to expand into soul music. In 1965, A&R director White... [+] Read More

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