National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame

The National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame is an independent organization whose mission is to educate and to celebrate, preserve, promote, and present rhythm and blues music globally.^[4]

This article contains promotional content. (November 2023)

Quick Facts Formation, Founder ...

National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame

Interior of the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame
Formation	January 30, 2010.
Founder	LaMont D. Robinson | Executive Director
Focus	Preserving and honoring the historical, cultural legacy, and contributions of R&B music.
Location	United States
Key people	Lamont "ShowBoat" Robinson, Founder/CEO[1] and executive Director[2][3] Russell Johnson, Creative Director, David Brown Ex Vice President
Website	https://rbhof.com

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The National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame was founded in 2010. Its name was originally the Official Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame. It was founded and developed by American professional basketball player LaMont "ShowBoat" Robinson, who is also an R&B activist and an entrepreneur.^[4][5]

Robinson's love for R&B and soul music began at an early age. He would often attend music practice sessions with his musician uncle, a house band member at Leo's Casino, a night club in Cleveland, Ohio.^[1] It was one of the premier clubs in the Midwest during the 1960s for R&B, jazz, and African American comedians such as The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, Redd Foxx, Flip Wilson, Richard Pryor and Otis Redding.^[6] Robinson's love for R&B inspired him to start collecting memorabilia and artifacts that reflected the history of the rhythm and blues era. Robinson collected many of these while traveling worldwide to play basketball with the Globetrotters and other teams.^[7]

Robinson's collection of memorabilia grew large enough to warrant display in a museum. He donated some of his collection to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, but he wanted to find a museum that exclusively displayed, celebrated, and collected information about the great accomplishments of R&B artists. Unable to find such a museum, he decided to create one himself. His efforts were supported by friends, some of whom were Rhythm & Blues and Jazz musicians.^[8]

A mobile museum debuted in February 2012.^[9] An annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony followed, honoring artists, non-musical individuals, venues, events, and other influences on the world of R&B music.

In 2022, a groundbreaking ceremony took place in Marks, Mississippi to start construction of a permanent location for the museum.^[10]

The Inaugural Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony was held on August 17, 2013 at the Waetjen Auditorium at Cleveland State University in Cleveland.^[11] The first class of inductees included recording acts The Supremes, The Temptations, The Marvelettes, The O'Jays,^[9] Martha & The Vandellas (Martha Reeves, Rosalind Holmes, and Annette Helton), The Dramatics, Ruby & The Romantics, and The Dazz Band Featuring Jerry Bell and Little Jimmy Scott; historic venue Leo's Casino; international journalist Larry Cotton; and radio hosts Tom Joyner^[9] and Tim Marshall.^[12] On December 20, 2017, 17 names were added to the list of inductees as 20th Century Early Music Influences such as Sammy Davis Jr, Ruth Brown, Bill Haley, Louis Armstrong and others. On February 17, 2018, the Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame founder LaMont "ShowBoat" Robinson, a lifelong Temptations fan and collector, gave a tribute concert for the late great Dennis Edwards called The Dennis Edwards Tribute. The performance was to honor him for all his musical work and for his family and fans in Detroit, MI at Bert's Entertainment Complex. Edwards was inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in 2013 with The Temptations and in 2015 with his own group The Temptations Review feat Dennis Edwards.

The National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame has announced it will forgo its live induction ceremony honoring its 2020 class due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Founder and CEO LaMont Robinson stated the live induction ceremony would be replaced by an online salute honoring the class of 2020 inductees. The induction committee combined the 2020 and the 2021 class to create a special class of 16 inductees called the 2020 Posthumously Class of Pioneers.

In 2022 and 2023, the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame held its induction ceremonies in Detroit, honoring artists such as New Edition and Aaliyah. In 2024, the event returned to Cleveland, Ohio—the birthplace of the Hall of Fame—on October 6. The sold-out ceremony celebrated the induction of R&B legends Jeffrey Osborne, Kenny Lattimore, Ginuwine, William Bell, Candi Staton, Regina Belle, and Frankie Beverly. These icons were enshrined in the Hall of Fame in a memorable event that underscored the enduring impact of R&B music and its artists.

The 2018 and 2019 (the 10th annual induction event) were held at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit, Michigan.^[13][14]

Over the years, the National Rhythm & Blues of Fame inductions have taken place at the following locations:

The main purpose of developing the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame is to collect and preserve artifacts and to document the accomplishments of individuals involved in R&B and Hip-Hop music.

The location for the Hall of Fame has not been decided even though many cities have expressed interest. Once built the museum will house a collection of historical artifacts and interactive presentations. It will also provide an educational wing that will contain a library and research department, a gift shop, and possibly a juke joint style soul food restaurant. A 1,500-seat theater will allow for small concerts, lectures, and the showing of documentaries. The Hall of Fame section of the facility will be a dynamic area that honors the legends and individuals who have been inducted. The Museum section will display historical and present-day artifacts that have been and are still being collected.

The National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame will exhibit present-day music contributions and the history of Rhythm & Blues, Blues, Hip-Hop, Gospel, and Jazz music from the early days originating in the 1940s when "urban-based music with a heavy insistent beat" was becoming more popular. It will explore the Chitlin' Circuit where black-only clubs existed and supported black musicians. The museum plans to provide information about well-known as well as unknown artists, and non-artist who have had a major influence on all-black music. Plans "include an African American Music Research Center, Gospel Music & Preachers Experience and the Hip Hop of America".^[1]

The National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame will be an innovative traveling exhibit housing memorabilia spanning the era of R&B/Hip-Hop and other music Jazz and the Blues is designed to travel throughout the country setting up at various locations such as libraries, schools, churches, community centers and special events. The mobile museum is an educational approach to present historical artifacts to areas of the country that would not have heard about the museum and would pique the interest of potential tourist that may visit the actual museum. The museum has collected and is still in the process of collecting thousands of rare treasures. Among its present collection are rare photos, original documents, and many items from artists whose contributions helped shape an important era of the music industry. The collection will be an unparalleled representation of any music memorabilia collection. These original items which mostly have been donated by the artist and non-artist or their estates, cover the beginnings of R&B and Black Music from its early days in the 1930s to the present day.

* 2015 Induction ceremony in Clarksdale MI
** 2015 Induction ceremony in Detroit
*** Inducted as a 20th Century Early Music Influence

* 2015 Induction ceremony in Clarksdale, MS
** 2015 Induction ceremony in Detroit