Ike Turner: 1937-2007

Image of Ike Turner

Diana Ross: 1944-

Photograph in black and white of Diana Ross

Michael Jackson: 1958-2009

Image of Michael Jackson

He is known as the king of pop for a reason. Michael Jackson’s Thriller is the first time that black music was actually promoted to not only black people, but people of all color and all nationality, and that was a huge leap in black music.

Tracy Chapman 1964 -