A huge number of musicians have contributed to Rhythm & Blues - far too many to ever make a complete list. This collection gives short bios and YouTube videos of some of the more popular and influential musicians of the 1940s, 1950s and early 1960s, with links to sites where more information can be found.
(This is work in progress. A name with no link means "coming soon")
B | LaVern Baker, Dave Bartholomew, Brook Benton, Chuck Berry, Bobby Bland, Booker T. & The M.G.s, Will Bradley, Big Bill Broonzy, Charles Brown, James Brown, Ruth Brown, Solomon Burke, Bobby Byrd |
C | Ray Charles, Chubby Checker, The Clovers, The Coasters, Nat King Cole, Sam Cooke, James Cotton, King Curtis |
D | The Dells, Bo Diddley, Willie Dixon, Fats Domino, The Drifters, Champion Jack Dupree |
E | The Everley Brothers |
F | The Flamingos, Aretha Franklin |
G | Marvin Gaye, Buddy Guy |
H | Bill Haley, Slim Harpo, Wynonie Harris, Isaac Hayes, Buddy Holly, John Lee Hooker, Lena Horne, Joe Houston |
I | The Isley Brothers |
J | Mahalia Jackson, Elmore James, Etta James, Little Willie John, Johnnie Johnson, Quincy Jones, Louis Jordan |
K | Albert King, B.B. King, Ben E. King, Gladys Knight |
L | Cleo Laine, Jerry Lee Lewis |
M | Martha & The Vandellas, Curtis Mayfield, Big Jay McNeely, Little Milton, The Moonglows, Charlie Musselwhite |
N | Robert Nighthawk |
O | The Orioles, Johnny Otis |
P | Junior Parker, Carl Perkins, Wilson Pickett, The Platters, Elvis Presley |
R | Otis Redding, Jimmy Reed, Little Richard, The Righteous Brothers, Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross, Otis Rush |
S | Sam & Dave, Lightnin' Slim, Otis Spann, The Staple Singers |
T | The Temptations, Willie Mae Thornton, Ike Turner, Joe Turner |
V | Ritchie Valens, Sarah Vaughan |
W | Junior Walker, Little Walter, Dionne Warwick, Dinah Washington, Ether Waters, Muddy Waters, Paul Williams, Sonny Boy Williamson, Jimmy Witherspoon, Howlin' Wolf, Stevie Wonder |