Black Music Month 2025

Q92.9 FM and the PA Lottery are celebrating black musical artists all June long with Black Music Month! Look below to see some of the highlighted artists, and listen all month long to hear some of your favorites!

Brought to you by the PA Lottery, which has been benefiting older Pennsylvanians since 1972 through programs like home-delivered meals, health insurance counseling, transportation, senior centers, legal assistance, and so much more.

Also brought to you by The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s “Kings Of Soul” at Heinz Hall June 20th through 22nd! Honoring the true Kings of classic soul with greatest hits from legendary artists Marvin Gaye, Jackie Wilson, James Brown, Otis Redding, The Temptations, Al Green, Barry White, and Curtis Mayfield, including “Soul Man,” “Shop Around,” “Stand By Me” and more. Tickets are on sale now!

The Artists


George Benson
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
Top Albums: Breezin’, Give Me the Night
Top Hits: This Masquerade, Give Me the Night
Awards: 10 Grammy Awards

James Brown
Hometown: Barnwell, SC
Groups: The Famous Flames
Top Albums: I Got the Feelin’, Say It Loud
Top Hits: Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag, I Got You
Awards: 3 Grammy Awards

The O’Jays
Hometown: Canton, OH
Lead Players: Eddie Levert, William Powell, Walter Williams
Top Albums: Back Stabbers, Family Reunion
Top Hits: Back Stabbers, Love Train, For the Love of Money
Awards: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction
1
Prince
Hometown: Minneapolis, MN
Top Albums: 1999, Purple Rain
Top Hits: Little Red Corvette, When Doves Cry
Awards: 7 Grammy Awards

Teddy Pendergrass
Hometown: Kingstree, SC
Groups: Lead singer for Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes
Top Albums: Teddy Pendergrass, TP
Top Hits: If You Don’t Know Me By Now, Love TKO

Al Green
Hometown: Forrest City, Arkansas
Top Albums: Let’s Stay Together, Call Me
Top Hits: Let’s Stay Together, Love & Happiness
Awards: 11 Grammy Awards

Patti Labelle
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Groups: Labelle
Top Albums: Patti Labelle, Gems
Top Hits: Lady Marmalade, New Attitude
Awards: 2 Grammy Awards

Jackie Wilson
Hometown: Detroit, Michigan
Top Albums: Higher & Higher, Lonely Teardrops
Top Hits: Your Love Keeps Lifting Me, Lonely Teardrops
Awards: Nominated for 2 Grammy Awards

Ohio Players
Hometown: Dayton, OH
Lead Players: Leroy Bonner, William Beck, Marshall Jones
Top Albums: Fire, Honey
Top Hits: Fire, Love Rollercoaster

Sly and the Family Stone
Hometown: San Francisco, CA
Lead Players: Sly Stone, Freddie Stone, Larry Graham
Top Albums: Dance To The Music, Stand
Top Hits: Everyday People, Thank You

Rick James
Hometown: Buffalo, NY
Groups: The Mynah Birds
Top Albums: Come Get It, Street Songs
Top Hits: Give It To Me Baby, Super Freak
Awards: 1 Grammy Award


Sam & Dave
Hometown: Miami, FL
Top Albums: Hold On, I’m Comin’, Soul Men
Top Hits: Soul Man, I Thank You
Awards: 1 Grammy Award

Dazz Band
Hometown: Cleveland, OH
Lead Players: Bobby Harris, Sennie Martin
Top Albums: Keep It Live, Joystick
Top Hits: Let It Whip, Joystick
Awards: 1 Grammy Award

The Temptations
Hometown: Detroit, MI
Top Albums: The Greatest Hits, All Directions
Top Hits: My Girl, Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone
Awards: 4 Grammy Awards

Marvin Gaye
Hometown: Washington, DC
Top Albums: What’s Going On, Let’s Get It On
Top Hits: What’s Going On, Sexual Healing
Awards: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction


Smokey Robinson and The Miracles
Hometown: Detroit, MI
Top Albums: Going to a Go-Go, Make It Happen
Top Hits: The Tears of a Clown, Shop Around
Awards: Nominated for 1 Grammy Award

Mary J Blige
Hometown: New York, NY
Top Albums: What’s the 411, No More Drama
Top Hits: Real Love, Family Affair
Awards: 9 Grammy Awards


Ray Charles
Hometown: Albany, GA
Groups: The McSon Trio, The Maxin Trio, Florida Playboys
Top Albums: Ray Charles, Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music
Top Hits: Hit the Road Jack, Georgia On My Mind
Awards: 17 Grammy Awards

Isley Brothers
Hometown: Cincinnati, OH
Lead Players: Ernie Isley, Ronald Isley
Top Albums: Brother, Brother, Brother, 3 + 3
Top Hits: That Lady, For the Love of You
Awards: 2 Grammy Awards

Otis Redding
Hometown: Dawson, GA
Groups: The Soul Clan
Top Albums: Otis Blue / Otis Redding Sings Soul, The Soul Album
Top Hits: (Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay, Try a Little Tenderness
Awards: 2 Grammy Awards

Earth, Wind & Fire
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Lead Players: Maurice White, Philip Bailey, Verdine White
Top Albums: All N All, I Am
Top Hits: Shining Star, Boogie Wonderland
Awards: 7 Grammy Awards


Ben E. King
Hometown: Henderson, NC
Groups: The Drifters
Top Albums: Stand By Me, The Very Best of Ben E. King
Top Hits: Stand By Me, There Goes My Baby
Awards: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction

Stevie Wonder
Hometown: Saginaw, MI
Top Albums: Talking Book, Songs in the Key of Life
Top Hits: Superstition, Living For the City
Awards: 25 Grammy Awards


Love Unlimited Orchestra (Barry White)
Hometown: San Pedro, Los Angeles, CA
Top Album: From A Girl’s Point of View We Give to You… Love Unlimited, Rhapsody In White
Top Hits: Love’s Theme, My Sweet Summer Suite
Awards: 3 Grammy Awards

Heatwave
Hometown: Dayton, OH
Lead Players: Johnnie Wilder, Keith Wilder, Rod Temperton
Top Albums: Too Hot To Handle, Central Heating
Top Hits: Boogie Nights, The Groove Line



Curtis Mayfield
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Groups: The Impressions
Top Albums: Curtis, Super Fly
Top Hits: Move On Up, (Don’t Worry) If There Is A Hell Below, We Are Going To Go
Awards: Nominated for 8 Grammy Awards

Kool and the Gang
Hometown: Jersey City, NJ
Lead Players: Robert Bell, Ronald Bell
Top Albums: Ladies Night, Celebrate
Top Hits: Jungle Boogie, Celebrate
Awards: 1 Grammy Award


Billy Paul
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Groups: Philadelphia International All Stars
Top Albums: 360 Degrees of Billy Paul, When Love Is New
Top Hits: Me and Mrs. Jones, Your Song
Awards: 1 Grammy Award

Gap Band
Hometown: Tulsa, OK
Lead Players: Charlie Wilson, Ronnie Wilson, Robert Wilson
Top Albums: The Gap Band, The Gap Band III
Top Hits: Burn Rubber, Early In The Morning


Lou Rawls
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Top Album: All Things In Time, The Best of Lou Rawls
Top Hits: You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine, Lady Love
Awards: 3 Grammy Awards

Chaka Khan
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Groups: Rufus
Top Albums: Chaka, I Feel for You
Top Hits: I’m Every Woman, I Feel for You
Awards: 10 Grammy Awards


Michael Jackson
Hometown: Gary, IN
Groups: The Jackson 5
Top Albums: Thriller, Bad
Top Hits: Billie Jean, Beat It, Thriller
Awards: 13 Grammy Awards

Nile Rodgers
Hometown: New York, NY
Groups: Chic
Top Albums: Chic, Risque
Top Hits: Le Freak, Good Times
Awards: 3 Grammy Awards