Soul Train Guests a to z

Signed to a recording contract at the age of 12, Aaliyah became an overnight R&B sensation. At the height of her stardom, a fatal plane crash ended her life.

Paula Abdul is best known for her hit songs and dancing in the 1990s, and for judging American Idol in the 2000s.

American singer-songwriter Christina Aguilera is best known for the single "Genie In A Bottle" and the controversial, sexually charged album Stripped.

Singer Florence Ballard formed The Supremes in 1961 with childhood friends Mary Wilson and Diana Ross. She sang on 16 different Top 40 hits.

A former supermodel, Tyra Banks turned her runway success into a multimedia brand and worked at the helm of two successful television series simultaneously.

Chuck Berry was one of the most popular and influential performers of rhythm-and-blues and rock 'n' roll music during the 1950s, '60s and '70s. He's known for songs like "Johnny B. Goode" and "My Ding-a-Ling."

"Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" Mary J. Blige has influenced a generation of artists with hits like "Real Love" and "Be Without You." She has also had a successful acting career, including playing Betty Shabazz in the TV movie Betty & Coretta.

David Bowie is an English rock star known for dramatic musical transformations, including his character Ziggy Stardust. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.

Tom Bradley was a lawyer and police officer who became the first African-American mayor of Los Angeles, serving from 1973 to 1993.

Singer Bobby Brown, known for hits including "Don't Be Cruel" and "Humpin' Around," is also famous for his troubled marriage to Whitney Houston.

Chris Brown is a Grammy Award-winning R&B and dance music entertainer who has pleaded guilty to assaulting former girlfriend Rihanna.

James Brown, the "Godfather of Soul," was a prolific singer, songwriter and bandleader, as well as one of the most iconic figures in funk and soul music from 1956 to 2006.

Jim Brown is a record-holding, former NFL fullback who's been elected to his sport's Hall of Fame and who's also worked as a model and film actor.

Rebbie Jackson is the eldest child of the famous Jackson musical family and has had a long career as a R&B solo artist.

With hits such as "Vision of Love" and "I Don't Wanna Cry," pop diva Mariah Carey holds the record for most No. 1 debuts in Billboard Hot 100 history.

Entrepreneur Sean Combs has produced big-name artists like Mariah Carey, created the Sean John clothing line, and recorded his own platinum albums.

Hip-hop artist and actor LL Cool J made it big with Def Jam Records in the late 1980s and '90s with albums like Mama Said Knock You Out.

Ossie Davis was an American actor, writer, social activist and humanitarian. He often performed with wife Ruby Dee in plays, in film and on television.

Snoop Dogg is a West Coast rapper who evolved under the tutelage of Dr. Dre, and has received fame for albums such as Doggystyle, Tha Doggfather and Reincarnation.

Missy Elliott is a Grammy Award-winning hip-hop artist. A rapper and producer, she won the BET Award for best female hip-hop artist numerous times.

Fergie is the lead singer of The Black Eyed Peas. Her solo album The Dutchess was also a hit. Her eclectic work ranges from ballads to dance tracks.

As a child star, actress Kim Fields played Tootie Ramsey on the popular sitcom Diff'rent Strokes. She reprised the role for the series' spin-off, The Facts of Life.

Vivica Fox is an African-American film and television actress. She got her start in the soap opera Days of Our Lives and is known for her role in the film Soul Food.

A talented singer, comedian, and actor, Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx has proved to be a triple threat in the entertainment industry.

Multiple Grammy winner and "Queen of Soul" Aretha Franklin is known for such hits as "Respect," "Freeway of Love" and "I Say a Little Prayer."

Marvin Gaye was a soul singer-songwriter with Motown in the 1960s and 1970s. He produced his own records and often addressed controversial themes.

Al Green is known for the hit song "Let's Stay Together," and for leaving his musical career at its height in the 1970s to become a reverend at his own church.

Pam Grier is best known for acting in many "blaxploitation" films in the 1970s.

Arsenio Hall is an American actor, comedian and was the first black late-night talk show host, on his groundbreaking The Arsenio Hall Show.

Daryl Hall is a musician whose group Hall & Oates burned up the charts in the 1970s and early 1980s.

Comedian Steve Harvey is a radio and TV show host who has also written relationship advice books.

Issac Hayes was an American musician. His hit song "Soul Man" and the musical score for the 1971 film Shaft are legendary contributions to modern music.

Don Henley is a musician who was a founding member of the Eagles and later went on to great solo success with such songs as "Boys of Summer."

Gregory Hines began dancing as a child and went on to launch a successful Broadway, television and film career. His notable movies include The Cotton Club and White Nights.

Whitney Houston was an American singer and actress whose first four albums, released between 1985 and 1992, amassed global sales in excess of 86 million copies.

Jackie Jackson was the oldest member of the group Jackson 5, which included his four brothers Michael, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon Jackson.

Jermaine Jackson was a member of the Jackson 5 music group and brother to Michael Jackson.

La Toya Jackson is a singer and entertainer, and is best known as a member of the musical Jackson family. Michael Jackson was her brother.

Marlon Jackson scored platinum records singing with his famous family, including little brother Michael. The Jackson 5 was one of Motown's biggest acts.

Singer-songwriter Michael Jackson's award-winning career as the King of Pop transformed the face of pop music and popular culture. He released the best-selling album in history, Thriller, in 1982. He died unexpectedly in 2009.

Musician Tito Jackson was lead guitarist for The Jackson 5 and later the Jacksons. He has since reinvented himself as blues musician.

Etta James is a Grammy Award-winning singer known for hit songs like "I'd Rather Go Blind" and "At Last."

Wyclef Jean is a Haitian musician whose band, the Fugees, hit it big in the mid-1990s with The Score.

Elton John is a British singer, pianist and composer who was one of the most popular musicians of the 20th century. Along with selling more than 250 million records he has found success on Broadway, composing the music score for the Tony award winning hit Billy Elliot (2008).

African American musician Rick James was a popular performer in the late 1970s and is best known for hits such as "Super Freak", "Mary Jane" and "You and I".

Quincy Jones is best known as a composer and record producer for legendary musicians such as Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Celene Dion and Aretha Franklin.

R. Kelly is a popular American R&B singer-songwriter and record producer best known for his gospel-tinged vocals and highly sexualized lyrics.

Alicia Keys is a multiple Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter whose debut album, Songs in A Minor, went platinum five times over.

"King of the Blues" B.B. King began as a disc jockey in Memphis before finding fame as an R&B guitarist, with hits like "The Thrill Is Gone."

Singer Gladys Knight has given voice to multiple R&B hits (with and without her Pips), including "Midnight Train to Georgia."

Beyoncé Knowles is a multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning recording artist who's acclaimed for her thrilling vocals, videos and live shows.

Simon Le Bon was lead singer of the 1980s pop group Duran Duran, known for recording the hit song “Hungry Like the Wolf.” He left the group before they later reunited in 2001.

Singer-songwriter John Legend won his first Grammy Award with 2004's Get Lifted. The album went platinum, thanks in part to the hit single "Ordinary People."

Lil Wayne is a Grammy Award-winning rapper known for his hit albums, mixtapes and singles, including "A Milli" and "Lollipop."

Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes was a singer and rapper known for her work with the 1990s group TLC.

Singer and songwriter Ziggy Marley is the oldest son of the reggae giant Bob Marley, and is best known as a talented reggae musician in his own right.

Master P is a rapper and hip-hop mogul who founded No Limit Records.

Curtis Mayfield was a singer-songwiter known for his racially conscious soul and funk who had a number one album with his score for the film Superfly.

Standing 7 feet tall and weighing 315 pounds, Shaquille O'Neal was one of the most dominant players in the NBA. After his 2011 retirement, he became an on-screen league analyst.

Queen Latifah is an American rapper, record producer and actress known for her roles in the films Set it Off, Bone Collector, Last Holiday and Chicago.

American musician Prince achieved wide fame in the 1980s with 1999 and Purple Rain, the latter album sharing a title with a film starring the musician.

Richard Pryor was a groundbreaking African-American comedian and one of the top entertainers of the 1970s and '80s.

Lou Rawls was a singer and songwriter known for his baritone voice and the small acting roles he took on the side.

Little Richard is a flamboyant American singer and pianist whose hit songs in the mid 1950s were defining moments in the development of rock ‘n’ roll.

Known as the "King of Motown," Smokey Robinson founded the R&B group The Miracles, which delivered 37 Top 40 hits for Motown Records.

Ja Rule is one of the biggest rappers from the early 2000s, known for hits like "Between Me and You," "Always on Time" and "Put It on Me."

Will Smith was on the TV show Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and has had a successful career as a film actor in several blockbusters since 1992.

Trey Songz is a Grammy Award-nominated singer-songwriter known for hits like "Can't Help but Wait."

Sting, born Gordon Sumner, is an English singer, songwriter and philanthropist best known as the frontman of The Police.

Donna Summer was a singer-songwriter who became the "Queen of Disco" in the 1970s with such hits as "Love to Love You Baby," "I Feel Love" and "Last Dance."

Ice-T is best known for his raps about street life and violence, and his influence on the gangster rap genre.

Actor and professional wrestler Mr. T, known for his mohawk and gold chains, starred in 1980s TV programs like The A-Team and Mister T.

Toni Braxton is an R&B singer-songwriter and actress best known for the hits "Un-Break My Heart," "You Mean the World to Me" and "Breathe Again."

Ike Turner made a string of R&B hits with singer and wife Tina Turner. He struggled with drug addiction and died of an accidental cocaine overdose.

Tina Turner is an American singer and actress who topped the pop music charts in the 1980s.

Usher is a successful American R&B and pop musician who began making music at age 15. His hit albums include My Way, Confessions and Looking 4 Myself.