(The following is a list of artists and industry professionals the music community lost in 2012–2013. The 55th GRAMMY Awards telecast on CBS will feature an In Memoriam segment highlighting some of these individuals via a video tribute. The Recording Academy salutes each individual for their respective talents and contributions to our culture and community. We invite you to share your memories in our comments section below.)

Mark Abrahamian

William Paul "Willie" Ackerman

Richard Adler

Warda Al-Jazairia

Audrey Allison

Tandyn Almer

Christopher Amenita

Maurice André

Chris Andrews

Inez Andrews

Patty Andrews

Charles Anthony

Tom Ardolino

Pedro Arroyo

Alexander Arutiunian

Mike Auldridge

Bob Babbitt

Perry Baggs

Roy Baham

Brad Baker

Israel Baker

Mickey Baker

Billy Barnes

Frank Barsalona

Kearney Barton

Fontella Bass

"Uncle" Lionel Batiste

James Richard Belote

Richard Rodney Bennett

Paavo Berglund

Emilio "Miliki" Aragón Bermúdez

Eddie Bert

John Birch

Robert Wayne Birch

Rick Blackburn

Eddie Blazonczyk Sr.

Nicole Bogner

Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner

Sean Bonniwell

Horacio "Chivo" Borraro

Mark Boyd

John Braheny

David Braun

Herbert Breslin

Lloyd Brevett

Gerry Bron

Chuck Brown

Frederick J. Brown

Dave Brubeck

Billy Bryans

Patti Denise Bryant

Frank Buchanan

Dewel Bullington

Rahn William Burton

Larry Butler

Margaret Ann  Buxkamper

Donald Byrd

Terry Callier

Hebe Camargo

Don Campbell

Tim Campbell

Pupi Campo

Sylvia Cantarell

Capital Steez

Vincent Cardell

Earl Carroll

Elliott Carter

Lisa Della Casa

Hal Casey

Ed Cassidy

Thomas Cassidy

Hadley Castille

Jimmy Castor

Dee Cernile

Dominic Cerulli

Rick Chadock

Jules Chaikin

Teddy Charles

Celso Chavez

Lili Chookasian

Rick Cimato

Dick Clark

Susanna Clark

Mario Clavell

John Clive

John Coates

Maria Cole

Charlie Collins

Ray Collins

Elizabeth Connell

Adrienne Cooper

Everett J. Corbin

Don Cornelius

Jayne Cortez

Pete Cosey

Don Cox

James "Sugarboy" Crawford

Robert Lee Crigger

Armand Crump

José Curbelo

Carlo Curley

Ted Curson

Marcel Curuchet

Lucio Dalla

Hal David

Carl Davis

Michael Davis

Gloria Davy

Jeremy Deacon

Dick Decent

Marcella DeCray

Bill Dees

Al DeLory

James DePreist

Robert Dickey

Doug Dillard

Mat Domber

Lee Dorman

Bill Doss

Nell Haas Driver

William Duckworth

Chris Duffy

Cleve Duncan

Michael Dunford

Donald "Duck" Dunn

Bobby Durango

Pham Duy

Marion Franklin Dycus

Dusty Edwards

Joseph Eger

Jimmy Ellis

Brigitte Engerer

Chris Ethridge

Calvin Everhart

Danny Evins

Osvaldo Fattoruso

Leonardo Favio

Martin Fay

Irving Fein

Ruth Fernández

Montserrat Figueras

Clare Fischer

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau

Betty Fisher

Charles Flores

Peter Fornatale

Robbie France

Dave Franer

Damon Freeman

Earle Lavon "Von" Freeman Sr.

Isaac "Dickie" Freeman

Robert French

Gil Friesen

Bertha Woodruff Garcia

Tim Garcia

Érick Garza

Victor Gaskin

Connie Gately

Robin Gibb

Kathi Kamen Goldmark

Junior Gonzalez

Geoffrey Gordon

Eric Gorodetzky

Michael Grant

Don Grady

Jerry Gray

R.B. Greaves

Andy Griffith

Brent Grulke

George Gruntz

Jackie Guthrie

David Hall

Greg Ham

Joslyn Hamilton aka Captain Barkey

Marvin Hamlisch

Derek Hammond-Stroud

Major Harris

Pat Harris

Garry Harrison

John Harrison

Jonathan Harvey

Paquito Hechavarría

Haim Hefer

Levon Helm

Bugs Henderson

Robert F. Hendrix

Bob Henry

Hans Werner Henze

Brian Hibbard

Stephen Hill

Donna Hilley

Omus Hirshbein

Doc Holliday

James Wesley “Red” Holloway

Larry Hoppen

Michael Hossack

Whitney Houston

Steeve Hurdle

Margie Hyams

Brian Jack

Hal Jackson

Phoebe Jacobs

Amber Jacobson

Etta James

Mikel (Mike) Japp

Frank Javorsek

Sammy Johns

Tim Johnson

William David "Billy Johnson"

Jeffrey Jolson-Colburn

Davy Jones

Jimmy Jones

Michael "Mighty Mike" Jones

Peter Jones

Pierre Juneau

Paul Justice

Norberto Kaminsky

Andrew Kazdin

Gerry Kearby

Erica Kennedy

Eduard Khil

Benjy King

Mary Frances Garner "Sis" King

Dick Kniss

Stefan Kudelski

Charlie Lamb

Jack Lameier

Byard Lancaster

Bernard Lansky

Barbara Lea

Evelyn Lear

Bev LeCroy

"Miss Rita" Lee

Jeni LeGon

Gustav Leonhardt

Lorin Levee

John Levy

Chris Lighty

Everett Lilly

George Lindsey

Mort Lindsey

Jimmy Little

Huw Lloyd Langton

Joey "Fingers" Lombard

Jon Lord

Andrew Love

Vince Lovegrove

Eric Lowen

Mitch Lucker

Gary Lumpkin

Andrew MacNaughtan

George Marino

Calvin Marsh

Jim Marshall

Paul Marshall

Thomas Marth

Tony Martin

Edna Mattox

Bud McCain

Jerry "Boogie" McCain

Mark "Bam Bam" McConnell

Michael G. McCormack

Jimmy  McCracklin

Jim McCrary

Kathi McDonald

Velma Lee McEnery

Dorothy McGuire

James Walter McKell

Barney McKenna

Scott McKenzie

Hal McKusick

Mike Melvoin

Nan Merriman

George Mesterhazy

Sergio Mihanovich

Fred Milano

Norman Miller

Ilhan Mimaroğlu

Iverson "Louisiana Red" Minter

Alan Mintz

Elliott Mitchell

Ronnie Montrose

Rick Moore

Roland Mortiz

Farrell Morris

Lawrence D. "Butch" Morris

William "Danny" Morrison

Carlos Moseley

Ed "Goat" Motta

Joe Muranyi

Chris Nadler

Anthony Natividad

Chris Neal

Trondr Nefas

Judith Nelson

Patricia Neway

Jeff “Critter” Newell

Terry Newell

Jason Noble

Claude Nobs

David Nye

Jimmy O'Neill

Adrian Otero

Johnny Otis

Frank Page

Patti Page

Ramona "Ms. Melodie" Parker

Nilesh Patel

Homero Patrón

Ray Patterson

Steve Paul

Michael Douglas Pearson

David Peaston

Frank Peppiatt

Austin Peralta

Richard "Pete" Peters

Ken Phebus

Marguerite Piazza

Deborah Lyn Pierce

Frank Pierson

Kroum Pindoff

Charles "Skip" Pitts

Floyd Monroe Points

Steve Pokorny

Frank Pooler

Nic Potter

Reg Presley

Frances Preston

Dory Previn

Dolores Prida

Lou Pride

Duy Quang

Ann Rabson

Deborah Raffin

Raylene Rankin

Sluggy Ranks

Estela Raval

Mark Reale

Herb Reed

Natina Reed

Tom "Cat" Reeder

Ken Regan

Christopher Reimer

Larry "Rhino" Reinhardt

Pery Ribeiro

Ruggiero Ricci

Martin Richards

Paul Richey

Howie Richmond

Winston Riley

Jenni Rivera

Sam Rivers

Richard Robbins

Kenny Roberts

Buddy Rogers

Jayne Rogovin

Ed Roman

Charles Rosen

Crystal Rosen

Joseph E. Ross

Gabrielle Roth

"Sweet Joe" Russell

Mike Scaccia

Hal Schaefer

Michael K. Schlesinger

Nelson Schwenke

Billy Scott

David Scott

Howard Hillison Scott

Earl Scruggs

Ivan Sekyra

Joe Sell

Khalil Shaheed

Ravi Shankar

Bobby Sharp

Isaiah Sheffer

Robert B. Sherman

Jim Sherwood

Todd Simko

Stephen Simon

Ozell Simpkins

Danny Sims

Pete La Roca Sims

Joe Siracuse

Tony Sly

Rod Smarr

Carrie Smith

Snuffy Smith

Sam "The Record Man" Sniderman

Joe South

Luis Alberto Spinetta

Mark Spiwak

Dennis St. John

Chris Stamp

Kaye Stevens

Bob Sticht

King Stitt

Ronnie "Angel" Stoots

Billy Strange

Ed Stratton

John Stronach

Big Jim Sullivan

Rollin Sullivan

Donna Summer

Stuart Swanlund

John Tchicai

Richard Teeter

Gene Thomas

Joe Thompson

Yomo Toro

Roman Totenberg

Ranking Trevor

Tom Tucker

Mihaela Ursuleasa

Maria Elena Valdelamar

Jairo Varela

Chavela Vargas

Valentin Velasco

Horacio "Gamexane" Villafañe

José Luis Villarreal

Galina Vishnevskaya

Paul van Wageningen

Bernie  Waldon

Rusty Walker

Herby Wallace

Gareth Walters

Willa Ward

David S. Ware

Doc Watson

Bert Weedon

Alexis Weissenberg

Bob Welch

Kitty Wells

Alvy West

Bob Weston

Eric White

Marva Whitney

Frederick "Fred" Wilhelms III

John Wilkinson

Will (Mastic Scum)

Andy Williams

Camilla Williams

Jimmie Williams

Robbie Williams

Abram Wilson

Frank Wilson

Yaffa Yarkoni

Adam Yauch

James Martin "Marty" Yonts

Philip Wylie York

Zvi Zeitlin

Dennis "Dino" Zimmerman

Known variously as the Black Godfather, the Godfather of Black Music and the Godfather of Black Entertainment, industry legend Clarence Avant was a pioneer over some seven decades in entertainment. The manager, label and broadcast media owner, and mentor died on Aug. 13 at age 92.

The breadth of Avant’s impact cannot be overstated. For his myriad accomplishments — many of which were historic and groundbreaking — he received the Recording Academy's Trustees Award in 2008. In 2019, Avant received the GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons Award.

"Clarence Avant will forever be remembered as a trailblazer and changemaker whose commitment to music and the community paved the way for opportunity and greater inclusion within our industry," said Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. "He fundamentally transformed the musical landscape for the better. The depth of Clarence’s legacy will last for generations."

A lengthy list of luminaries in the worlds of entertainment, music, politics and more paid tribute to Avant on social media.

(L-R) Jay-Z, Clarence Avant and Sean Combs attend 2020 Roc Nation THE BRUNCH on January 25, 2020, in Los Angeles, California | Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Roc Nation

Bill Clinton tweeted, "It was impossible to spend time with Clarence Avant and not come away feeling more positive and wanting to follow his example."

The Rev. Al Sharpton called Avant "a revolutionary," adding that "When people in the entertainment world were delegated to a near master/slave relationship, he broke through that wall of exploitation and made us respected business people.

"This man was singularly responsible for helping so many Black artists get paid their worth," civil rights attorney Sherrilyn Ifill tweeted.

Magic Johnson tweeted, "He knew how to touch every individual he met and meet them where they were in order to get them where they needed to be."

Jay-Z’s Roc Nation reflected on Avant's legacy:

Born Feb. 25, 1931, in North Carolina, Avant began his career under the tutelage of Louis Armstrong manager Joe Glaser. He would soon branch out on his own to manage artists including Sarah Vaughan, Freddie Hubbard and pioneering Black record producer Tom Wilson. Avant opened a Los Angeles office in 1964.

In 1967, Avant helped negotiate what is said to be the first joint venture between a Black artist and a major label when he mediated a deal for Motown writer-producer William "Mickey" Stevenson with MGM for the soul subsidiary Venture Records.

In 1969, Avant founded his own label, Sussex. The label’s first release was Cold Fact, the unsuccessful debut from the late Sixto Rodriguez, who would years later become the subject of the Oscar-winning doc Searching for Sugar Man. While it took 50 years for Rodriguez to get his due, such was not the case for other Sussex releases such as Dennis Coffey’s smash funky instrumental "Scorpio" and certainly not for Bill Withers, who from 1971 to 1972 had three singles go platinum or gold.

During this time, Avant also bought what became one of the first Black-owned U.S. radio stations, Los Angeles R&B outlet KTYM. Both this venture and Sussex would wind down by 1975, which led to Avant’s founding of Tabu Records.

It was at Tabu that Avant discovered the songwriting and production talents of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who had both been members of the Prince-owned band the Time. Jam and Lewis would create one of the most gravity-defying sounds of the ’80s, and Avant would eventually introduce them to Janet Jackson.

That kind of behind-the-scenes dot-connecting was the norm for Avant. He was considered an important mentor by Jam and Lewis, L.A. Reid and Babyface, industry titans Sylvia Rhone, Jheryl Busby, Jon Platt and Jimmy Iovine, and many others — including football great Jim Brown, whom Avant reportedly convinced to take up acting.

He was a political activist, especially for Black causes, and was an unofficial advisor to Presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Barack Obama.

He would also serve as Chairman of Motown Records and would become the first Black person to serve on the international management board for PolyGram. He was the subject of the 2019 documentary The Black Godfather.

In addition to his Recording Academy Trustees Award, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021 and is due to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Oct. 7.

There was no blueprint for Avant’s storied career. "I kept hearing about this guy Clarence Avant, but no one seemed to know what his actual official title was," Jim Brown recalled.

"My whole career has been like this," Avant once told Variety. "People ask me, ‘how did you do all this?’ How the f— do I know? I just do things. I just like to take shots."

Mogul Moment: How Quincy Jones Became An Architect Of Black Music

A moving 2023 GRAMMYs segment featured friends, family and bandmates honoring their departed loved ones in song — including tributes from Kacey Musgraves, Quavo, and Sheryl Crow, Mick Fleetwood, and Bonnie Raitt.

The GRAMMY Awards' annual tribute to music industry icons who passed in the preceding year is always a bittersweet highlight of the ceremony — and this year's moving edition was certainly no exception.

In addition to honoring the many artists, producers, executives, and more who we lost, three legendary musicians received individual recognition from their close friends, collaborators, and loved ones.

A longtime admirer of Loretta Lynn, Kacey Musgraves became friends with the late country legend after opening for Lynn's 2012 tour — and thus was the perfect person to honor the four-time GRAMMY-winner.

Surrounded by a spray of red flowers and wearing a red dress that would've suited the Songwriter Hall of Fame honoree, Musgraves delivered a sterling rendition of Lynn's autobiographical "Coal Miner's Daughter."

With each strum of her guitar — with Lynn’s name inlaid on the neck in enamel — Musgraves brought more of her hero's trademark warmth and country legacy into fuller bloom, the names and images of other lost legends materializing behind her.

The rap world was stunned when it lost Migos member Takeoff in a tragic shooting in November, and his uncle and bandmate Quavo paid tribute with the elegiac "Without You." The rapper's soulful delivery was rounded out by the rich harmonies of gospel group Maverick City Music, the pain evident in his face as he sat next to an empty stool, his nephew’s chain hanging from a tragically unused mic stand.

As the song concluded, Quavo rose, holding that chain up to the heavens, his hope to see Takeoff again ringing out.

While clips of heroes like Jeff Beck and David Crosby surely brought tears to many an eye, the heartfelt tributes were rounded out by the trio of Sheryl Crow, Bonnie Raitt, and Fleetwood Mac's Mick Fleetwood. Together, they honored Christine McVie with a poignant rendition of Fleetwood Mac's "Songbird."

While Fleetwood stood with a resonant hand drum, Crow took to the piano with Raitt seated at her side. "And the songbirds are singing/ Like they know the score," they sang: "And I love you, I love you, I love you/ Like never before."

The crystalline performance immaculately suited the songwriter's immense spirit and unparalleled writing, with Fleetwood’s somber hand drum lending a beautiful final note.

Check out the complete list of winners and nominees at the 2023 GRAMMYs.

Head to live.GRAMMY.com all year long to watch all the GRAMMY performances, acceptance speeches, the GRAMMY Live From The Red Carpet livestream special, the full Premiere Ceremony livestream, and even more exclusive, never-before-seen content from the 2023 GRAMMYs.

The following is a list of artists and industry professionals the music community lost from Jan. 1, 2022 to Dec. 6, 2022.

The 2022 GRAMMYs telecast on CBS featured an In Memoriam segment highlighting some of these individuals via a video tribute, and all of these individuals who died prior to its print date are included in the official 2023 GRAMMYs program book.

The Recording Academy salutes each individual for their respective talents and contributions to our culture and community.

Jody Abbot

Juan Alfonso Abreu (Xtassy)

Ernest Abuba

Bobbe "Beegie" Long Adair

Patrick Adams

Cynthia Albritton

Yuz Aleshkovsky

Clive "Zanda" Alexander

Drew Alexander

Silas "SiMan Baby" Alexander

Ian Alexander jr.

Mary Alice

Stu Allan

Jerry Ivan Allison

George al-Rassi

Ahmed Alshaiba

Lalith Anand

David Andersson

Ernie Andrews

Reggie Andrews

Nicholas Angelich

Stuart Anstis

Jon Appleton

Steve Arkin

Brooks Arthur

Maureen Arthur

Ibrahim Ashk

Bobby Atkins

Barry Bailey

Chris Bailey

Bamba Bakya

Silvia Baleani

Classie Ballou, Sr.

Gabe Baltazar

Alain Bancquart

Abhijit Bandyopadhyay

Sultan "Traxamillion" Banks

King Louie Bankston

Joseph Banowetz

Carlos Barbosa-Lima

Daniele Barioni

John Barnes

Scott Barnes

Walter Barylli

Edava Basheer

Eddie Basinski

Jules Bass

Shandler "Wavy Navy Pooh" Beaubien

Rose Beauchamp

Ana Bejerano

Daniel Belardinelli

Jerry Bentley

Teresa Berganza

Marilyn Bergman

John Beug

Guillame Bideau

Ryan Biggs

Yam Bing-yee

Bayron Binkley

Ali Birra

Harrison Birtwistle

Alan Blaikley

Lilian Blankson

Stéphane Blet

Philippe Boesmans

Peter Bogdanovich

Rolando Boldrin

Bill Bourne

Donald Brady

Jaimie Branch

Traci Braxton

Thom Bresh

Todd Brodginski

Peter Brook

Gary Brooker

Steve Broughton

Harpdog Brown

Johnny Brown

Julia Buciuceanu

Kai Bumann

Roman Bunka

Bruce Burch

Sonny Burke

Billie Burton

Joe Bussard

Nigel Butterley

Hal Bynum

Shorty Byrd

James Caan

Dennis Cahill

Eison Cai

Mickey Calin

Mira Calix

Sudie Callaway

Darius Campbell

Pat Campbell

Marciano Cantero

María José Cantilo

Allison Canzanella

Irene Cara

Giancarlo Cardini

Erasmo Carlos

Jo Carol Ann

Carleton Carpenter

Martín Carrizo

Pat Carroll

Jeff Carson

Aaron Carter

Darryl Caseine

Fred Catero

Guayo Cedeño

Jordi Cervello

Koady Chaisson

Heo Cham

Joe Chambers

Norm Chambers

Manny Charlton

Kerry Chater

Subhomoy Chatterjee

Levon Chaushian

Roland Anthony Chirico

Terry Choate

Abdul Gaffar Chowdhury

Miu Chu

Gene Cipriano

Roderick 'Pooh' Clark

Sammy Clark

Mike Clement

Dale Clevenger

Con Cluskey

Bob "Dr. Jazz" Cohen

Nick Colionne

"Chubby" Conine

Jeff Cook

Al Cooley

Tommy Cordell

Azio Corghi

Carmela Corren

José Luis Cortés

Gal Costa

Warren "Waz" Costello

Cathal Coughlan

Morty Craft

Zuri Craig

AB Crentsil

Lyell Cresswell

Bernard Cribbins

Charles Criss

Mike Cross

J.D. Crowe

Julee Cruise

George Crumb

Bettye Crutcher

Jerry Crutchfield

Ronnie Cuber

Scott Dachroeden

David Dalton

"Jessie D" Lee Daniels

Kal David

Betty Davis

Rosa de Castilla

Marc Lee Dé Hugar

Aurelio De La Vega

Paulino Deanda Bernal

Joey DeFrancesco

Mike Dekle

Emilio Delgado

Garth Dennis

Alex DePue

Bunny Diamond

Tabby Diamond

Don Dilling

Paulo Diniz

Jerry Doucette

Jane Dowden

Tyrone Downie

Lamont Dozier

Frank Drake

Martin C. Dreiwitz

Eddie Edwards Drennan

Paul Dufour

Noel Duggan

Shonka Dukureh

Howard Alexander Dumble

Brian Dunning

Jim Duty

Dennis East

John L. Eastman

Ray Edenton

Iwan Edwards

Jamal Edwards

Vince "CPO Boss Hogg" Edwards

Mickey Eichner

Dan Einstein

Mary Ellin Barrett

Kenward Elmslie

Ralph Emery

Greg Epler

Ernesto Cavour

Flavio Etcheto

Archie Eversole

Maria Ewing

Ulises Eyherabide

Doug Eyink

Muvaffak "Maffy" Falay

Xue Fan

Dewey Farmer

Christine Farnon

Ben Farrell

Mitch Faulkner

Nolan Faulkner

Daniel Fawcett

Tim Feerick

Núria Feliu

Ludmila Ferber

Fallece Bernardo Adam Ferrero

Steve Fickinger

Bert Fields

Eberhard Finke

Annie Flanders

Neil Flanz

Jorja Fleezanis

Mark Fleischman

Andy Fletcher

Jake Flint

Gianluca Floris

Adam Foster

Juan Francisco González 

Deborah Fraser

George Frayne

Dallas Frazier

Wes Freed

David Freel

Joe Friedman

Bill Fries

Leo Anthony Gallagher Jr.

Ron Gallela

Luiz Galvao

Armando Gama

Ricky Gardiner

Rita Gardner

Ray Garduño

Charles "is-City" Gatt

Franco Gatti

Jan Gaye

Fred Geiger

Geoff Nuttall

Donny Gerrard

Joe Gilchrist

Mickey Gilley

Ellen Zoe Golden

Burt Goldstein

Darío Gómez

Doc Gonzales

Francisco González

Dallas Good

Tristan Goodall

Sam Gooden 

Mick Goodrick

Robert Gordon

Robert Louis Gordy

Gilbert Gottfried

Don Grahm

Randy Gray

Helen Grayco

John Green

Bruce Greig

John Grenell

Arthur Grigoryan

Howard Grimes

Steve Grimmett

Zhou Guangren

Agustin Gurza

Barbara Maier Gustern

Song Hae

Patrick Haggerty

Dick Halligan

Alexander Hamilton

Duncan Hannah

Ed Hardy 

Alice Harnoncourt

William Hart

"Big John" Harte

John Hartman

Orrin Hatch

Ronnie Hawkins

Rosa Lee Hawkins

Ivonne Haza

Bob Heathcote

Michael Henderson

Judy Henske

Marva Hicks

Jimbeau Hinson

Arnold "Arno" Hintjens

Tohru "Monamour" Hiroshima

Gary "Chicken" Hirsh

Jim Horn

Joseph Horovitz

Damodar Hota

Franz Hummel

Darryl Hunt 

Ivy Jo Hunter

Hovain Hylton

Pau Riba i Romeva

Toshi Ichiyanagi

Simon Illa

İlhan İrem 

Colleen Ironside

Susan Jacks

Francis Jackson

Michael James Jackson

Big Rude Jake

Khan Jamal

Joni James

Conrad Janis

Danny Javier

Philip Jeck

Lee Jihan

Griselda Jiménez

Fredrik Johansson

Mable John

Jimmy Johnson

Keith Wonderboy Johnson

Syl Johnson

Wilko Johnson

Jerry Ray Johnston

Leslie Jordan

Justin Alexander "J $tash" Joseph

Kenwrick "Kenny J" Joseph

Marvin Josephson

Naomi Judd

Orlando Julius

Bang Jun-seok

Michail Jurowski

Danny Kalb

Joseph Kalichstein

Ramdas Kamat

Prafulla Kar

Ryan Karazija

Lil Keed

Ken Kelly

Sean Kelly

Jimmy Kennedy

Anita Kerr

Alam Khan

Ronnie Kidd

Hamish Kilgour

Douglas Kirkland

Margo Knesz

Dale Knippers

Stamatis Kokotas

Irini Konitopoulou-Legaki

Charles Koppelman

John C. Koss

William Kraft

Blanka Kulinska

Jaakko Kuusisto

Dr. Paul Kwami

Carmelo La Bionda

Art Laboe

Bappi Lahiri

Jayananda Lama

Mark Lanegan

Michael Lang

Mike Lang 

Angela Lansbury

Sam Lay

Q Lazzarus

Willie Leacox

Marcus Leatherdale

Pastelle LeBlanc

Everett Lee

Quentin Oliver Lee

Mon Legaspi

Keith Levene

Mark Levine

Mariusz Lewandowski

Ramsey Lewis

Don Lewis

Gord Lewis

Jerry Lee Lewis

Jon Lind

Ray Liotta

Lenny Lipton

Meat Loaf

Kevin Locke

Bob Lokman

Jim Long

Jun Lopito

Bob LuPone

Radu Lupu

Loretta Lynn

Warner Mack

Shirles "Re Styles" Macleod

Shel Macrae

Al Mair

Kyle Maite

Clyde Maness

Lata Mangeshkar

Lucy Rowan Mann

Ken Mansfield

Álvaro Manzano

James Maraniss

Jane "Nightbirde" Marczewski

Sid Mark

Emmaretta Marks

Kurt Markus 

Ingram Marshall

Bernabé Martí

Brad Martin

Diane Martin

Gavin Martin

Keith Martin

Mac Martin

Mor Mario Martínez

Randall Massengill

Janez Maticic

Tito Matos

Tina May

Lowry Mays

Gazi Mazharul Anwar

Dan McCafferty

Mary McCaslin

Deborah McCrary

David McDonald

Ian McDonald

John McGale

Bob McGrath

Douglas McGrath

Doug McKean

Noel McKoy

John McLeod

Christine McVie

Sister Janet Mead

Glenn Meadows

Eric Mercury

María Mérida

Joe Messina

Blake Mevis

Pablo Milanes

Ron Miles

Jody Miller

Sidney Miller

Sue Mingus

Zelito Miranda

Nirmala Mishra

Charnett Moffett

Franz Mohr

Boris Moiseev

Bill Mollman

Mick Moloney

Grachan Moncur III

Gracia Montes

Benjamin Moore, Jr.

Mike Mora

Owen Moran

Massimo Morante

Henrique Morelenbaum

Denroy Morgan

Tommy Morgan

Joel Morowitz

Barbara Morrison

Robert Morse

Juan José Mosalini

Rodger E. Mosley 

Mighty Mouse

James Mtume

Sandhya Mukherjee

Dudley Murphy

David Muse 

Rachel Nagy

Pierre Narcisse

María Inés Naveillán

Nolan Neal

Tommy Neal

Dawit Nega

Bobbie Nelson

Sandy Nelson

Hans Neuenfels

Bobby Neuwirth

Don Newkirk

Olivia Newton-John 

Nichelle Nichols

Mariana Nicolesco

Rab Noakes

Paolo Noel

Minoru Nojima

Neil Nongkynrih

Adibah Noor

Nayyara Noor

Monty Norman

Ica Novo

Carlo Nuccio

Bobby O'Jay

Sammie Okposo

David Ornette Cherry

Mariel Orr

Anthony Ortega

Dave Osborne

Mo Ostin

Karim Ouellet

Jim Owens

Pedro Pablo García Caffi

LaShun Pace

Irene Papas

Gloria Parker

Mimi Parker

Tom Parker

Dez Parkes

Leslie Parnas

Ric Parnell

Fred Parris

Anne Parsons

Philip Paul

D.H. Peligro

Osvaldo Peredo

Jacques Perrin

Mark L. Perthel

Libor Pesek

Marybeth Peters

Maggie Peterson

Greg Philbin

Idris Phillips

Svika Pick

Keaton Pierce

Renée Pietrafesa

Don Pippin

Galina Pisarenko

Bill Pitman

Paul Plimley

Sidney Poitier

Prins Polo

Jerzy Polomski

Bruce Pomahac

Jim Post

Gerald Potterton

Jesse Powell

Richard Pratt

Seymour "Red" Press

Simon Preston

James Price

Howie Pyro

Charles Quillen

Rubina Qureshi

James Rado

Bob Rafelson

Aki Rahimovski

S.V. Ramanan

Agustin Ramirez

Randy Rand

Alleppey Ranganath

Raymond Raposa

James Reams

Pete Reiniger

Patricio Renán

Hollis Resnik

John Rice Irwin

Robert Richards

Riky Rick

Walter Riley King 

Ismael Rivera Jr.

Archie Roach

Richard Roat

Hargus "Pig" Robbins

Sandy Roberton

Garry Roberts

Martin "Marty" Roberts

PnB Rock

Pamela "Jordan" Rooke

Ned Rorem

Art Rosenbaum

Andy Ross

Beverly Ross

Cormac Roth

Badal Roy

Jamie Roy

Ed Rudy

Art Rupe

Bobby Rydell

Paul Ryder

Jordi Sabatés

Samir Sabri

Wally Safford

Balwinder Safri

Bob Saget

Daniel Sahad

Teruhiko Saigo

Steve Salas

Marty Sammon

Pharoah Sanders

T.V. Sankaranarayanan

Manolo Sanlucar

José Enrique "Chelique" Sarabia

Peter Scaping

Leon Schidlowsky

Klaus Schulze

Chris Scicluna

JayDaYongan

Richard Seal

Jim Seals

Gabe Serbian

Richard Setlowe

Shiv Kumar Sharma

Yuri Shatunov

William B. Shelby

Burke Shelley

Liz Sheridan

Dave Sherman

Kirti Shiledar

Guitar Shorty

Terry Shue

Riho Sibul

Paul Siebel

David "Ziggy" Sigmund

Haralds Simanis

Calvin Simon

Joanna Simon

Lucy Simon

Joyce Sims

Bhupinder Singh

Roslyn Singleton

Herschel Sizmore

Arnold Skolnick

Alexander Skulsky

DJ Kay Slay

Young Slo-Be

Elliott "Grandpa" Small

Dave Smith

Dick Smith

Steve Smith

B. Smyth

Elza Soares

Jim Sohns

Josep Soler

Stefan Soltesz

R Somasekharan

Bhajan Sopori

Paul Sorvino

Pervis Spann

Ronnie Spector

Willie Spence

Buddy Spurlock

Pete St John

Meghan Stabile

Atilio Stampone

Pat Stay

Saundra Steele

Antonietta Stella

Elizabeth Stewart

Jim Stewart

Paul Stoddard

Laila Storch

Larry Storch

Trevor Strnad

Mark Stroman

Shivamogga Subbanna

Alec John Such

Monnette Sudler

Frederick Swann

Earl Swavey

John Swenson

Robin Sylvester

Yoram Taharlev

Marc Tanner

Joe Tarsia

Richard Taruskin

Carolyn Tate

Greg Tate

Creed Taylor

Dean Taylor

Morgan Taylor

Terry Teachout

Judy Tenuta

Arnold Terry

Nicky Tesco

Dev Tharikewala

Timmy Thomas

Barbara Thompson

Bjorn Thorsrud

Janet Thurlow

Jin Tielin

Clifford S. Tinder

Louise Tobin

Terry Tolkin

Louise Tomberlain

Alexander Toradze

Colin Touchin

Bramwell Tovey

Rosmarie Trapp

Héctor Tricoche

Dick Trump

Tokollo Tshabalala

Tuck Tucker

Brett Tuggle

Nik Turner

Rick Turner

Sonny Turner

Bob Tutupoly

Margaret Urlich

Frank Ursoleo

Bin Valencia

Paul Vance

John P Varkey

Josephine Veasey

Diego Verdaguer

Lars Vogt

William "Bil" VornDick

Adam Wade

Abdul Wadud

Natty Wailer

Sidhu Moose Wala

Bill Walker

Kenneth Wannberg

Dennis Waterman

Norma Waterson

Jody Wayne

Jay Weaver

Greg Webster

Lil Bo Weep

Bobby Weinstein

Mike Wells

Jan Welmers

Janice Wendell

Ken West

Sonny West

Glenn Wheatley

Joel Whitburn

Alan White

Carrie White

Roland White

Krista Whitworth Beitter

Neela Wickramasinghe

Jan Wijn

Snootie Wild

David O. Will

Ken Williams

Robert Williams

Don Wilson

George Winn

Geoff Wonfor

TDott Woo

Terry Woodson

Max Woodward

Andrew Woolfolk

Scotty Wray

Bernard Wright

Qiao Yu

Phyo Zayar Thaw

Jon Zazula

Drummie Zeb

Bezbaruah

Club Q Victims

Coolio

Dakis

DJ Sumbody

El Noba

FBG

Goonew

Hadrawi

Hurricane G

Kandikonda

KK

Mikaben

Skibadee

Takeoff

Tame One

Trouble

Vangelis

Walkie

Walsh

YOSHI

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It's rare that a genre can be traced back to a single artist or group, but for funk, that was James Brown. The Godfather of Soul coined the phrase and style of playing known as "on the one," where the first downbeat is emphasized, instead of the typical second and fourth beats in pop, soul and other styles. As David Cheal eloquently explains, playing on the one "left space for phrases and riffs, often syncopated around the beat, creating an intricate, interlocking grid which could go on and on." You know a funky bassline when you hear it; its fat chords beg your body to get up and groove.

Brown's 1965 classic, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," became one of the first funk hits, and has been endlessly sampled and covered over the years, along with his other groovy tracks. Of course, many other funk acts followed in the '60s, and the genre thrived in the '70s and '80s as the disco craze came and went, and the originators of hip-hop and house music created new music from funk and disco's strong, flexible bones built for dancing.

Legendary funk bassist Bootsy Collins learned the power of the one from playing in Brown's band, and brought it to George Clinton, who created P-funk, an expansive, Afrofuturistic, psychedelic exploration of funk with his various bands and projects, including Parliament-Funkadelic. Both Collins and Clinton remain active and funkin', and have offered their timeless grooves to collabs with younger artists, including Kali Uchis, Silk Sonic, and Omar Apollo; and Kendrick Lamar, Flying Lotus, and Thundercat, respectively.

In the 1980s, electro-funk was born when artists like Afrika Bambaataa, Man Parrish, and Egyptian Lover began making futuristic beats with the Roland TR-808 drum machine — often with robotic vocals distorted through a talk box. A key distinguishing factor of electro-funk is a de-emphasis on vocals, with more phrases than choruses and verses. The sound influenced contemporaneous hip-hop, funk and electronica, along with acts around the globe, while current acts like Chromeo, DJ Stingray, and even Egyptian Lover himself keep electro-funk alive and well.

Today, funk lives in many places, with its heavy bass and syncopated grooves finding way into many nooks and crannies of music. There's nu-disco and boogie funk, nodding back to disco bands with soaring vocals and dance floor-designed instrumentation. G-funk continues to influence Los Angeles hip-hop, with innovative artists like Dam-Funk and Channel Tres bringing the funk and G-funk, into electro territory. Funk and disco-centered '70s revival is definitely having a moment, with acts like Ghost Funk Orchestra and Parcels, while its sparkly sprinklings can be heard in pop from Dua Lipa, Doja Cat, and, in full "Soul Train" character, Silk Sonic. There are also acts making dreamy, atmospheric music with a solid dose of funk, such as Khruangbin’s global sonic collage.

There are many bands that play heavily with funk, creating lush grooves designed to get you moving. Read on for a taste of five current modern funk and nu-disco artists making band-led uptempo funk built for the dance floor. Be sure to press play on the Spotify playlist above, and check out GRAMMY.com's playlist on Apple Music, Amazon Music and Pandora.

Say She She

Aptly self-described as "discodelic soul," Brooklyn-based seven-piece Say She She make dreamy, operatic funk, led by singer-songwriters Nya Gazelle Brown, Piya Malik and Sabrina Mileo Cunningham. Their '70s girl group-inspired vocal harmonies echo, sooth and enchant as they cover poignant topics with feminist flair.

While they’ve been active in the New York scene for a few years, they’ve gained wider acclaim for the irresistible music they began releasing this year, including their debut album, Prism. Their 2022 debut single "Forget Me Not" is an ode to ground-breaking New York art collective Guerilla Girls, and "Norma" is their protest anthem in response to the news that Roe vs. Wade could be (and was) overturned. The band name is a nod to funk legend Nile Rodgers, from the "Le freak, c'est chi" exclamation in Chic's legendary tune "Le Freak."

Moniquea

Moniquea's unique voice oozes confidence, yet invites you in to dance with her to the super funky boogie rhythms. The Pasadena, California artist was raised on funk music; her mom was in a cover band that would play classics like Aretha Franklin’s "Get It Right" and Gladys Knight’s "Love Overboard." Moniquea released her first boogie funk track at 20 and, in 2011, met local producer XL Middelton — a bonafide purveyor of funk. She's been a star artist on his MoFunk Records ever since, and they've collabed on countless tracks, channeling West Coast energy with a heavy dose of G-funk, sunny lyrics and upbeat, roller disco-ready rhythms.

Her latest release is an upbeat nod to classic West Coast funk, produced by Middleton, and follows her February 2022 groovy, collab-filled album, On Repeat.

Shiro Schwarz

Shiro Schwarz is a Mexico City-based duo, consisting of Pammela Rojas and Rafael Marfil, who helped establish a modern funk scene in the richly creative Mexican metropolis. On "Electrify" — originally released in 2016 on Fat Beats Records and reissued in 2021 by MoFunk — Shiro Schwarz's vocals playfully contrast each other, floating over an insistent, upbeat bassline and an '80s throwback electro-funk rhythm with synth flourishes.

Their music manages to be both nostalgic and futuristic — and impossible to sit still to. 2021 single "Be Kind" is sweet, mellow and groovy, perfect chic lounge funk. Shiro Schwarz’s latest track, the joyfully nostalgic "Hey DJ," is a collab with funkstress Saucy Lady and U-Key.

L'Impératrice

L'Impératrice (the empress in French) are a six-piece Parisian group serving an infectiously joyful blend of French pop, nu-disco, funk and psychedelia. Flore Benguigui's vocals are light and dreamy, yet commanding of your attention, while lyrics have a feminist touch.

During their energetic live sets, L'Impératrice members Charles de Boisseguin and Hagni Gwon (keys), David Gaugué (bass), Achille Trocellier (guitar), and Tom Daveau (drums) deliver extended instrumental jam sessions to expand and connect their music. Gaugué emphasizes the thick funky bass, and Benguigui jumps around the stage while sounding like an angel. L’Impératrice’s latest album, 2021’s Tako Tsubo, is a sunny, playful French disco journey.

Franc Moody

Franc Moody's bio fittingly describes their music as "a soul funk and cosmic disco sound." The London outfit was birthed by friends Ned Franc and Jon Moody in the early 2010s, when they were living together and throwing parties in North London's warehouse scene. In 2017, the group grew to six members, including singer and multi-instrumentalist Amber-Simone.

Their music feels at home with other electro-pop bands like fellow Londoners Jungle and Aussie act Parcels. While much of it is upbeat and euphoric, Franc Moody also dips into the more chilled, dreamy realm, such as the vibey, sultry title track from their recently released Into the Ether.

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