List of African-American singers

This is a list of some notable African-American singers that gives their year of birth and music genres with which they are associated.

A

• Aaliyah (1979–2001): R&B, pop
• Marian Anderson (1897–1993): opera
• Louis Armstrong (1901–1971): jazz
• Martina Arroyo (born 1936): opera

B

• Erykah Badu (born 1971): neo soul, R&B, funk, hip-hop
• Mildred Bailey (1907–1951): jazz
• Chloe Bailey (born 1998): R&B
• Halle Bailey (born 2000): R&B
• Pearl Bailey (1918–1990): vaudeville
• LaVern Baker (1929–1997): R&B
• Florence Ballard (1943–1976): R&B, pop, soul
• Fantasia Barrino (born 1984): R&B, soul, gospel
• Kathleen Battle (born 1948): opera
• Madeline Bell (born 1942): soul
• Denée Benton (born 1992): Broadway, pop
• Chuck Berry (1926–2017): rock
• Andy Bey (born 1939): jazz
• Beyoncé (born 1981): R&B, pop
• Blind Blake (1896–1934): ragtime, blues
• Jules Bledsoe (1897–1943): opera, Broadway
• Lucille Bogan (1887–1948): blues
• Dee Dee Bridgewater (born 1950): jazz
• James Brown (1933–2006): soul, funk
• Oscar Brown, Jr (1926–2005): jazz
• Peabo Bryson (born 1951): soul, R&B
• Grace Bumbry (born 1937): opera
• Solomon Burke (1940–2010): blues, gospel, R&B, soul, rock and roll

C

• Cab Calloway (1907–1994): jazz
• Alyson Cambridge (born 1980): operatic soprano and classical music, jazz, and American popular song singer
• Betty Carter (1929–1998): jazz
• Tracy Chapman (born 1964): folk
• Ray Charles (1930–2004): R&B, soul, blues, gospel, country, jazz, pop, rock and roll
• Nat King Cole (1919–1965): jazz, swing, pop
• Natalie Cole (1950–2015): R&B, pop
• Mitty Collier (born 1941): soul, R&B, gospel
• Sam Cooke (1931–1964): soul, gospel, R&B
• Randy Crawford (born 1952): jazz, R&B, disco

D

• Sammy Davis Jr. (1925–1990): pop, jazz, easy listening, swing
• Jason Derulo (born 1989): R&B, hip hop, pop
• Bo Diddley (1928–2008): R&B, rock and roll

E

• Billy Eckstine (1914–1993): jazz, pop
• Betty Everett (1939–2001): soul
• Cassandra Extavour: classical singer

F

• Ella Fitzgerald (1917–1996): jazz
• Roberta Flack (born 1939): jazz, pop
• Aretha Franklin (born 1942): soul, gospel

G

• Marvin Gaye (1939–1984): R&B, soul, funk, jazz, pop
• Gloria Gaynor (born 1949): disco, R&B
• Jamie Grace (born 1991): Christian Pop, Gospel
• Al Green (born 1946): R&B, soul

H

• Adelaide Hall (1901–1993): jazz
• Ciara Harris (born 1985): R&B, hip-hop, crunk&B, pop, dance
• Donny Hathaway (1945–1979): soul, jazz, gospel, R&B, blues
• Richie Havens (1941–2013): folk rock, funk, blues, soul
• Isaac Hayes (1942–2008): blues, jazz, soul, funk, disco
• Jon Hendricks (born 1921): jazz
• Nona Hendryx (born 1944): funk, soul, pop, R&B, rock
• Lauryn Hill (born 1975): R&B, neo soul, hip-hop, folk, reggae
• Billie Holiday (1915–1959): soul, blues
• Jennifer Holliday (born 1960): R&B, soul, pop, house, dance, gospel
• Lena Horne (1917–2010): jazz, pop
• Cissy Houston (1933–2016): soul, gospel, disco
• Thelma Houston (born 1946): R&B, soul, disco, Motown, gospel
• Whitney Houston (1963–2012):R&B, pop, soul, gospel
• Jennifer Hudson (born 1981): R&B, soul, pop
• Phyllis Hyman (1949–1995): soul, R&B quiet, jazz, disco

I

• Luther Ingram (1937–2007): R&B, soul
• Ronald Isley (born 1941): R&B, soul

J

• Jackson family: pop, R&B, soul, dance
  • Rebbie Jackson (born 1950)
  • Jackie Jackson (born 1951)
  • Tito Jackson (born 1953)
  • Jermaine Jackson (born 1954)
  • La Toya Jackson (born 1956)
  • Marlon Jackson (born 1957)
  • Michael Jackson (1958–2009)
  • Randy Jackson (born 1961)
  • Janet Jackson (born 1966)
• Chuck Jackson (born 1937): R&B
• Freddie Jackson (born 1956): soul
• Mahalia Jackson (1911–1972): gospel
• Millie Jackson (born 1944): soul, disco, R&B
• Randy Jackson (born 1956)
• Etta James (1938–2012): blues, R&B, soul, jazz, gospel
• Al Jarreau (1940–2017): jazz, R&B, soul
• Etta Jones (1928–2001): jazz
• Valerie June (born 1982): folk, blues, soul, bluegrass, pop

K

• Gladys Knight (1944): soul, R&B, pop

L

• Patti LaBelle (born 1944): R&B, soul, disco, dance, gospel, funk
• Kendrick Lamar (born 1987): hip-hop, rap
• John Larkin (1877–1936): minstrel, vaudeville
• Huddie Ledbetter (1888–1949): folk, blues
• Frankie Lymon (1942–1968): R&B, doo-wop, pop, swing

M

• China Anne McClain (born 1998): R&B, pop
• Lauryn McClain: R&B, pop
• Sierra McClain: R&B, pop
• Carmen McRae (1922–1994): jazz
• Johnny Mathis (born 1935): pop, jazz
• Curtis Mayfield (1942–1999): soul, funk, R&B
• Wanya Morris (born 1973): R&B, soul
• Janelle Monáe (born 1985): Funk, R&B, psychedelic soul, hip-hop

N

• Meshell Ndegeocello (born 1968): funk, soul, jazz, hip-hop, reggae, rock
• Anthony Nelson (born 1975): Gospel
• Aaron Neville (born 1941): R&B, soul, country, gospel, jazz, pop
• Jessye Norman (born 1945): opera
• Brandy Norwood (born 1979): R&B, pop, hip-hop

O

• Odetta (1930–2008): folk, blues, jazz, spirituals

P

• Teddy Pendergrass (1950–2010): R&B, soul, disco, funk
• Billy Preston (1946–2006): R&B, rock, soul, funk, gospel
• Prince (1958–2016): pop, rock
• Leontyne Price (born 1927): opera

R

• Ma Rainey (1882 or 1886–1939): blues
• Otis Redding (1941–1967): soul, R&B, blues
• Della Reese (born 1931): jazz, gospel, pop
• Dianne Reeves (born 1956): jazz
• Martha Reeves (born 1941): R&B, pop
• Lionel Richie (born 1949): soul, R&B, pop, country, gospel
• Minnie Riperton (1947–1979): soul, R&B, jazz, disco
• Paul Robeson (1898–1976): Americana, pop, spirituals, classical, folk
• Bill "Bojangles" Robinson (1878–1949): minstrel, vaudeville, jazz, pop
• Smokey Robinson (born 1940): R&B, soul, pop
• Diana Ross (born 1944): R&B, soul, disco, jazz, pop, dance
• Patrice Rushen (born 1954): R&B

S

• Jimmy Scott (1925–2014): jazz
• Nina Simone (1933–2003): jazz, blues, folk, R&B, gospel, pop
• Jordin Sparks (born 1989): R&B, pop
• Bessie Smith (1894–1937): blues
• Mavis Staples (born 1939): soul, gospel, R&B
• Sly Stone (born 1943): funk, R&B
• Donna Summer (1948–2012): disco, rock, dance, R&B

T

• Joe Tex (1933–1982): R&B, soul, funk, disco
• Ike Turner (1931–2007): R&B, blues, rock and roll, funk
• Tammi Terrell (1945–1970): R&B, soul, pop
• Tina Turner (born 1939): R&B, pop, soul, dance, rock and roll

V

• Luther Vandross (1951–2005): soul
• Sarah Vaughan (1924–1990): jazz

W

• Fats Waller (1904–1943): jazz, pop
• William Warfield (1920–2002): opera, pop
• Dionne Warwick (born 1940): gospel, R&B, soul, pop
• Ethel Waters (1896–1977): blues, jazz, Broadway, big band, pop
• Barry White (1944–2003): soul, R&B, pop
• will.i.am (born 1975): hip-hop, pop, R&B
• Bert Williams (1874–1922): Broadway, vaudeville, minstrel
• Lenny Williams (born 1945): soul, R&B, jazz
• Pharrell Williams (born 1973): hip-hop, R&B, funk, pop
• Nancy Wilson (born 1937): jazz
• Bill Withers (born 1938): soul, R&B, smooth soul, blues, funk
• Howlin' Wolf (1910–1976): blues
• Stevie Wonder (born 1950): soul, pop
• Bobby Womack (1944–2014): soul, R&B
• Betty Wright (born 1953): soul, R&B