How Bobby Womack's Marriage to His Mentor's Widow Ended His Career, The Painful Accident That Took Al Green Back to Church, The Accident That Changed Teddy Pendergrass's Life, The Sylvers: A Tragic Story of One of The Most Talented Family Musical Acts, Bobby Caldwell's Voice Fooled Black Folks for Decades, Barry White Left His Loves to Fight for His Estate, Don Cornelius: The Man Who Brought Soul Music to America

Singer-songwriter-musician Bobby Womack grew up in Cleveland, Ohio singing with his five brothers. Starting as the gospel group the Womack Brothers, they eventually changed their name to the Valentinos and their sound to R&B. Under the mentorship of soul singer Sam Cooke, Womack and his brothers landed a record deal and produced a string of hits, one of which became the first hit single for The Rolling Stones. — Angela Johnson

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“Let’s Stay Together” is one of those songs that will continue to give generations of music lovers the feels until the end of time. That’s exactly why the world will always love singer-songwriter Al Green. The Arkansas native who grew up singing gospel music made a deep personal connection with his audiences, showing off a vocal range that went from the highest falsetto to a gravely baritone and putting every ounce of emotion into his performances. — Angela Johnson

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Teddy Pendergrass dominated R&B music in the 1970s and 80s. He got his start as the lead singer of Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes and quickly established himself as a sexy solo artist known to drive the ladies crazy with his smooth baritone voice. — Angela Johnson

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If you were asked to name some of the most talented musical families in history, the Jacksons, the DeBarges and The Isley Brothers might be the first that come to mind. But don’t sleep on The Sylvers, a group of nine singing siblings from Watts, California, that entertained fans for decades. — Angela Johnson

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It’s hard to talk about Black music without talking about “Soul Train” creator Don Cornelius. The Chicago native, who got his start on local radio and television, wanted to create a program that showcased Black people in a positive light. With $400 of his own money, he developed the show, featuring young people dancing to the hottest soul, funk and R&B songs. “Soul Train” eventually achieved national syndication and ran from 1971 to 2006, making it one of the longest-running syndicated programs on American television. In 35 years, legendary artists like The Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, Mary J Blige and LL Cool J would grace the “Soul Train” stage. — Angela Johnson

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Even if you don’t know who Bobby Caldwell was, you’ve definitely heard one of his songs. The New York native, who burst onto the music scene in the late 1970s with the hit single “What You Won’t Do For Love,” has had his soulful songs sampled by hip-hop heavyweights, including 2Pac, The Notorious B.I.G. and Common. — Angela Johnson

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R&B singer Barry White was known for his smooth and sexy voice recording hit songs that made people want to dance and fall in love. But the legendary crooner also had a very complicated love life, and after a series of health challenges that led to his untimely death at age 58, the nine children, two ex-wives and one long-time girlfriend he left behind were forced to work out the details of an outdated will that included his plans for his multi-million dollar estate. This is the story of the life and loves of Barry White. — Angela Johnson

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