Established in 2010 and located in Marks, Mississippi, the Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame Foundation is a non-profit organization that celebrates Rhythm & Blues and related-genre artists, plus businesses and political individuals that have made major contributions to the world’s music industry.
Its mission is to preserve the history of Rhythm & Blues music and the culture in America that ignited its creation. Their first inductee ceremony took place in 2013 which included Dazz Band, The Four Tops, and Gerald Levert.
This year’s ceremony is scheduled to take place Sunday, September 24 at Bridge Center in Detroit. After tabulating thousands of voting ballets, R&B icon Aaliyah will be inducted posthumously along with Peabo Bryson, Hall & Oates, Jermaine Dupri, and New Edition.
Formed in 1978 as a “new edition” of the Jackson 5, Bobby Brown brought together Ralph Tresvant, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivens, and Ronnie DeVoe to form one of the greatest boy bands off all-time aptly named, New Edition.
They released their debut album ‘Candy Girl‘ in 1983 with the title track reaching number one on the R&B Singles chart. New Edition‘s self-titled follow-up album featured the classic singles ‘Mr. Telephone Man‘ and ‘Cool It Now‘.
Bobby Brown left the group to pursue a solo career in 1985 giving way for Johnny Gill to join the lineup in 1987 before they disbanded in 1990. Gill and Tresvant released their own solo projects while the remaining members formed their own group, Bell Biv DeVoe
All six members reunited in 1996 releasing the album ‘Home Again‘ and supported the project with its own tour. However, the homecoming was short-lived as Brown and Bivens ended up quitting, forcing the reunion tour to end prematurely.
New Edition received their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2017 and will headline the R&B Hall of Fame inductee ceremony this September.
Singer and actress Aaliyah is commonly referred to as the ‘Princess of R&B’ having redefined R&B in the ’90s. Her debut single, ‘Back & Forth’ off of her first album ‘Age Ain’t Nuthin’ But A Number’ reached number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in 1994.
Her second album ‘One In A Million‘ sold more than eight million copies worldwide providing her the opportunity to transition into film.
She appeared in the film ‘Romeo Must Die‘ in 2000 then sunk her teeth into the roll of ‘Queen Akasha‘ in 2002’s ‘Queen of the Damned‘.
Aaliyah tragically died in an airplane accident in 2001 at the young age of 22. A posthumous non-compilation album was scheduled to be released last year but has yet to find a release date. Aaliyah‘s family is expected to be on-hand for her induction into the R&B Hall of Fame this September.