1.
Aretha Franklin acting at Madison Sq. Backyard on June 28, 1968.
Walter Iooss Jr / Getty Photographs
2.
Lauryn Hill on the forty first Grammy Awards, at which she gained 5 Grammys.
Vince Bucci / AFP through Getty Photographs
3.
Etta James recording in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, circa 1967.
Home Of Fame Llc / Getty Photographs
4.
Whitney Houston performing in Ahoy, Netherlands, on April 23, 1988.
Rob Verhorst / Redferns / Getty Photographs
5.
Bessie Smith circa 1924.
Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Photographs
6.
Tina Turner onstage in Detroit throughout her Personal Dancer tour on August 18, 1985.
Icon And Picture / Getty Photographs
7.
Diana Ross in Los Angeles on July 16, 1975.
Harry Langdon / Getty Photographs
8.
Toni Braxton at Radio Metropolis Music Corridor in February 1997.
Invoice Tompkins / Getty Photographs
9.
Donna Summer time performing circa 1979.
Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Photographs
10.
Mary J. Blige in Chicago on October 13, 1995.
Paul Natkin / WireImage / Getty Photographs
11.
Billie Vacation at a recording session circa 1946.
12.
Tracy Chapman performing in San Francisco on March 15, 1997.
Tim Mosenfelder / Getty Photographs
13.
Chaka Khan performing in Chicago in 1984.
Raymond Boyd / Getty Photographs
14.
Ella Fitzgerald in a London resort on March 6, 1961.
Pictorial Parade / Getty Photographs
15.
Minnie Riperton on an episode of Soul Prepare on October 25, 1975.
Soul Prepare / Soul Prepare through Getty Photographs
16.
Lauryn Hill and Aretha Franklin on January 21, 1998.
Afro Newspaper / Getty Photographs
17.
Aaliyah onstage on the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California, on August 29, 1998.
Tim Mosenfelder / Getty Photographs
18.
Gladys Knight acting on April 28, 1976.
Michael Putland / Getty Photographs
19.
Sarah Vaughan rehearsing in New York in 1980.
Brownie Harris / Getty Photographs
20.
Anita Baker onstage on the Arie Crown Theater in Chicago in October 1986.
Raymond Boyd / Getty Photographs
21.
Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston performing “When You Consider” on the 71st Academy Awards on March 21, 1999.
Timothy A. Clary / AFP through Getty Photographs
22.
Natalie Cole at a reception honoring her in London on October 24, 1975.
Peter Cade / Getty Photographs
23.
The Pointer Sisters in New York Metropolis circa 1983.
Photographs Press / Getty Photographs
24.
Gloria Gaynor performing in Los Angeles on December 13, 1975.
Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Photographs
25.
Roberta Flack performing on the Newport Jazz Pageant in Rhode Island on July 2, 1971.
David Redfern / Redferns / Getty Photographs
26.
Aretha Franklin and her album Soul ’69 at Atlantic Data studios in New York Metropolis on January 9, 1969.
Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Photographs
27.
Etta James performs at Montreux Jazz Pageant in 1977.
Michael Putland / Getty Photographs
28.
Ella Fitzgerald acting on The Ed Sullivan Present on Could 5, 1963.
Cbs Picture Archive / Getty Photographs
29.
Lauryn Hill performing on the Pinkpop Pageant in Landgraaf, Netherlands, on Could 24, 1999.
Gie Knaeps / Getty Photographs
30.
Ma Rainey circa 1923.
Donaldson Assortment / Getty Photographs
31.
Martha and the Vandellas – Rosalind Ashford, Martha Reeves, and Betty Kelly – arriving in London on March 15, 1965.
Night Commonplace / Getty Photographs
32.
Billie Vacation performing in 1950.
Gilles Petard / Redferns / Getty Photographs
33.
Mariah Carey performing in New York Metropolis on December 8, 1994.
Kevin Mazur Archive / WireImage / Getty Photographs
34.
Nina Simone acting on October 18, 1964.
35.
Dinah Washington performing in New York Metropolis on September 5, 1952.
Donaldson Assortment / Getty Photographs
36.
Diana Ross on the Tremendous Bowl halftime present on January 28, 1996.
Focus On Sport / Getty Photographs
37.
Bessie Smith onstage in Philadelphia within the early 1900s.
Anthony Barboza / Getty Photographs
38.
Whitney Houston acting at Wembley Enviornment on October 19, 1986.
Steve Rapport / Getty Photographs
39.
Patti LaBelle performing in Rosemont, Illinois, in 1986.
Raymond Boyd / Getty Photographs
40.
Then-TLC members Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, and Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas on the thirty eighth Grammy Awards on February 28, 1996.
Ron Galella / Ron Galella Assortment through Getty Photographs
41.
Mary Wells onstage in New York Metropolis in 1964.
Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Photographs
42.
Lena Horne singing on a set within the Forties.
Hulton Archive / Getty Photographs
43.
Donna Summer time performing in Atlanta on March 26, 1978.
Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Photographs
44.
Mahalia Jackson performing in Berlin in 1967.
United Archives / Helmut Reiss/United Archives through Getty Photographs
45.
Ella Fitzgerald performing in 1964.
Tony Evans / Getty Photographs
46.
Tina Turner performing on the twenty seventh Grammy Awards on February 26, 1985.
Cbs Picture Archive / CBS through Getty Photographs
47.
The Supremes — Florence Ballard, Diana Ross, and Mary Wilson — performing circa 1965.
Bettmann Archive / Getty Photographs
48.
Brandy and Whitney Houston on November 17, 1996, at Ebony Journal’s “Have a good time the Dream: 50 Years of Ebony Journal.”
Ron Wolfson / Getty Photographs
49.
Dionne Warwick performing in London on July 18, 1975.
Radio Occasions / Getty Photographs
50.
Nina Simone performing on the BBC Tv Centre in 1966.
David Redfern / Redferns / Getty Photographs
51.
Tracy Chapman onstage in Amsterdam on August 20, 1988.
Frans Schellekens / Redferns / Getty Photographs
52.
And Aretha Franklin throughout a live performance in 1969.
Walter Iooss Jr / Getty Photographs
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