Rhythm and Blues Foundation 3785646 212271362 2008-05-14T03:14:39Z 124.178.246.235 The '''Rhythm and Blues Foundation''' is an independent [[United States|American]] [[nonprofit]] organization dedicated to the historical and cultural preservation of [[rhythm and blues]] music. The idea for the Foundation came in 1987 during discussions about [[royalties]] with entertainer [[Ruth Brown]], entertainment attorney Howell Begle, and the head of [[Atlantic Records]], [[Ahmet Ertegün]]. Ertegün provided a $1.5 million donation, and the Foundation was officially founded in 1988. The Foundation provides financial support, medical assistance and educational outreach through various grants and programs to support R&B and [[Motown]] artists from the 1940s through the 1970s. The Rhythm and Blues Foundation also produces the Pioneer Awards, and they administer The [[Doc Pomus]] Financial Assistance Program, The Motown/Universal Music Group Fund, and the Gwendolyn B. Gordy Fuqua Fund. == Pioneer Award honorees == '''2006''' *[[Berry Gordy]], Lifetime Achievement *[[Otis Redding]], Legacy Award *[[Thom Bell]], Entrepreneur Award *[[Chubby Checker]] *[[Bettye LaVette]] *[[Barbara Mason]] *[[The Delfonics]] *[[Frankie Beverly]] '''2003''' *[[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]] *[[The Del Vikings]] *[[The Dixie Cups]] *[[The Supremes]] *[[Clarence "Frogman" Henry]] *[[Hal Jackson]] *[[Johnny Nash]] *[[Maceo Parker]] *[[Koko Taylor]] *[[Jackie Wilson]] (Legacy Tribute Award) *[[Dionne Warwick]] (Lifetime Achievement Award) '''2001''' *[[Allen Toussaint]] *[[Big Jay McNeely]] *[[Dee Dee Sharp]] *[[The Emotions]] *[[Fontella Bass]] *[[Holland-Dozier-Holland]] *[[Sly & the Family Stone]] *[[Louis Jordan]] (Legacy Tribute Award) *[[Al Green (musician)|Reverend Al Green]] (Lifetime Achievement Award) '''2000''' *[[The Chi-Lites]] *[[Ahmet Ertegün]] *[[Marvin Gaye]] (Legacy Tribute Award) *[[The Impressions (American band)|The Impressions]] *[[Johnnie Johnson (musician)|Johnnie Johnson]] *[[Clyde Otis]] *[[Sylvia Robinson]] *[[Huey "Piano" Smith]] *[[Stevie Wonder]] (Lifetime Achievement Award) *[[Betty Wright]] '''1999''' *[[Johnny Adams]] *[[Ashford & Simpson]] *[[Mickey Baker]] *[[Sam Cooke]] (Legacy Tribute Award) *[[Isaac Hayes]] & [[David Porter (musician)|David Porter]] *[[Brenda Holloway]] *[[John Lee Hooker]] (Lifetime Achievement Award) *[[Patti LaBelle & The Bluebells]] *[[Barbara Lewis]] *[[Barbara Lynn]] *[[The Manhattans]] *[[Garnet Mimms]] *[[Johnny Moore (musician)|Johnny Moore]] *[[Bill Pinkney]] *[[Joe Simon (musician)|Joe Simon]] *[[Charlie Thomas]] *[[Dee Dee Warwick]] '''1998''' *[[Herb Abramson]] *[[Faye Adams]] *[[Bobby Byrd]] *[[Tyrone Davis]] *[[The Five Satins]] *[[The Harptones]] *[[Screamin' Jay Hawkins]] *[[Ernie K-Doe]] *[[Gladys Knight & the Pips]] (Lifetime Achievement Award) *[[The O'Jays]] *[[David "Fathead" Newman]] *[[Kim Weston]] '''1997''' *[[William Bell (singer)|William Bell]] *[[Gary U.S. Bonds]] *[[Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown]] *[[Gene Chandler]] *[[The Four Tops]] (Lifetime Achievement Award) *[[Little Milton]] *[[Jackson K Beavis]] *[[Gloria Lynne]] *[[The Miracles|Smokey Robinson & The Miracles]] *[[Ruby & The Romantics]] *[[The Spinners (soul music)|The Spinners]] *[[Phil Upchurch]] *[[Van "Piano Man" Walls]] '''1996''' *[[Dave Bartholomew]] *[[The Cadillacs]] *[[The Chantels]] *[[Bo Diddley]] (Lifetime Achievement Award) *[[Betty Everett]] *[[The Flamingos]] *[[Eddie Floyd]] *[[The Isley Brothers]] *[[Jay McShann]] *[[Johnnie Taylor]] *[[Doris Troy]] *[[Johnny "Guitar" Watson]] *[[Bobby Womack]] '''1995''' *[[Booker T. & the M.G.'s]] *[[Fats Domino]] (Lifetime Achievement Award) *[[Inez and Charlie Foxx]] *[[Cissy Houston]] *[[Illinois Jacquet]] *[[Darlene Love]] *[[The Marvelettes]] *[[The Moonglows]] *[[Lloyd Price]] *[[Arthur Prysock]] *[[Mabel Scott]] *[[Junior Walker]] *[[Justine Washington|Justine "Baby" Washington]] '''1994''' *[[Otis Blackwell]] *[[Jerry Butler (singer)|Jerry Butler]] *[[The Coasters]]/[[The Robins]] *[[Clarence Carter]] *[[Don Covay]] *[[Bill Doggett]] *[[Mable John]] *[[Ben E. King]] *[[Little Richard]] (Lifetime Achievement Award) *[[Johnny Otis]] *[[Earl Palmer]] *[[The Shirelles]] *[[Irma Thomas]] '''1993''' *[[Hadda Brooks]] *[[James Brown]] (Lifetime Achievement Award) *[[Solomon Burke]] *[[Dave Clark (promoter)|Dave Clark]] *[[Floyd Dixon]] *[[David "Panama" Francis]] *[[Lowell Fulson]] *[[Erskine Hawkins]] *[[Little Anthony & The Imperials]] *[[Wilson Pickett]] *[[Martha and the Vandellas|Martha Reeves & The Vandellas]] *[[Carla Thomas]] *[[Jimmy Witherspoon]] '''1992''' *[[Hank Ballard]] *[[Bobby Bland|Bobby "Blue" Bland]] *[[The Dells]] *[[Aretha Franklin]] (Lifetime Achievement Award) *[[Chuck Jackson]] *[[Ella Johnson]] *[[Nellie Lutcher]] *[[The Staple Singers]] *[[Jesse Stone]] *[[Rufus Thomas]] *[[Paul Williams (saxophonist)|Paul "Hucklebuck" Williams]] '''1990/91''' *[[Maxine Brown (soul singer)]] *[[Ray Charles]] (Lifetime Achievement Award) *[[The Five Keys]] *[[Al Hibbler]] *[[Albert King]] *[[Jimmy McCracklin]] *[[Curtis Mayfield]] *[[Sam Moore]] *[[Doc Pomus]] *[[The Spaniels]] '''1989''' *[[LaVern Baker]] *[[Charles Brown (musician)|Charles Brown]] *[[Ruth Brown]] *[[The Clovers]] *[[Etta James]] *[[Jimmy Scott|"Little" Jimmy Scott]] *[[Percy Sledge]] *[[Mary Wells]] == External links == *[http://www.rhythm-n-blues.org Rhythm and Blues Foundation website] [[Category:Rhythm and blues]] [[de:Rhythm and Blues Foundation]] [[es:Rhythm and Blues Foundation]]