Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame

History

Founded in 2010 as the Official R&B Music Hall of Fame Museum, its name was changed 1 October 2014 to The Official Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame Museum and on June 13, 2016 to Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame. The project was founded and developed by sports entertainer and entrepreneur LaMont "Showboat" Robinson founder of Robinson Global Sports and Entertainment LLC.

Robinson is a player/owner of the Harlem Clowns and a former player for the Harlem Road Kings. Robinson's love for R&B and Soul music began at an early age. He would often attend music practice sessions with his musician uncle, a house band member at Leo's Casino a Cleveland, Ohio night club. It was one of the premiere clubs in the Midwest during the 1960s for R&B, jazz and African American comedians such as Redd Foxx, Flip Wilson, Richard Pryor and Moms Mabley. Otis Redding's last live performance on December 9, 1967 was at Leo's. This love inspired him to start collecting memorabilia and artifacts that reflect the history of the Rhythm and Blues era. Robinson collected many of these exclusive and rare items while traveling all over the world to play basketball with the Globetrotters and other teams.

Realizing that his collection had grown to a size worthy of a museum, he wanted to share or donate some of his collection to an officially recognized location. However he was unable to locate a place that exclusively displayed, celebrated and collected information about the great accomplishments of R&B artists besides the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in his hometown Cleveland. While donating some items to the Rock Hall, he realized that a lot of well deserving R&B artists will never be given the type of recognition or honor that they deserve. He then decided to pursue creating such a place, acquiring the support of friends, some of which are R&B and jazz musicians.

After many years of planning, a mobile museum debuted in February 2012. An annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony followed, honoring artists, non-musical individuals, venues, events and anything that has influenced the world of R&B music. A permanent physical museum was ultimately planned.

Inductions

The Inaugural Official Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony was held on August 17, 2013 at the Waetjen Auditorium at Cleveland State University in Cleveland. The first class of inductees included recording acts The Temptations, The O'Jays, The Original Vandellas Rosalind Holmes and Annette Helton, Ruby & The Romantics, The Marvelettes, The Dramatics, Dazz Band Featuring Jerry Bell and Little Jimmy Scott; historic venue Leo's Casino; international journalist Larry Cotton; and radio hosts Tom Joyner and Tim Marshall.

Museum

The main purpose of developing the Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame and Museum is to collect and preserve artifacts and to document accomplishments of the many well deserving individuals that have influenced lives through the many avenues of Rhythm and Blues music. The Hall of Fame will recognize and honor many individuals that have contributed to this music, past and present. The venue will be at the forefront of providing innovative educational programs for children by using music as a mechanism for teaching history, math and social studies, through the vehicle of high technology. In a culturally diverse world, the Hall of Fame Museum will emphasize diversity throughout its programming.

The location for the Hall of Fame and Museum has been at times suggested to be Philadelphia, PA or Detroit, MI, However, organizers focused on Cleveland, even a particular location in Cleveland. However, it did not materialize, and so Detroit and Canton, Ohio are still considered prospects, with Detroit being announced in 2014. Once built the museum will house a collection of historical artifacts and interactive presentations. It will also provide an educational wing that will contain a library and research department, a gift shop and possibly a juke joint style soul food restaurant. A 500 seat theater will allow for small concerts, lectures and the showing of documentaries. The Hall of Fame section of the facility will be a dynamic area that honors the legends and individuals that have been inducted. The Museum section will be an interactive experience using the latest in technological designed to captivate and educating people of all ages, and will display the many historical and present day artifacts that have been and are still being collected.

The museum will exhibit present-day music contributions and the history of Rhythm & Blues, Blues, Gospel, and Jazz music from the early days originating in the 1940s when "urban based music with a heavy insistent beat" was becoming more popular. It will explore the Chitlin circuit where black-only clubs existed and supported black musicians. The museum plans to provide information about well known as well as unknown artists, and non-artist who have had a major influence on all black music. Plans "include an African-American Music Research Center, Gospel Music & Preachers Hall of Fame Museum and the Hip Hop Museum of America".

Mobile museum

This innovative traveling exhibit housing memorabilia spanning the era of R&B and other music Jazz and the Blues is designed to travel throughout the country setting up at various locations such as libraries, schools, churches, community centers and special events. The mobile museum is an educational approach to present historical artifacts to areas of the country that would not have heard about the museum and would pique the interest of potential tourist that may visit the actual museum. The museum has collected and is still in the process of collecting thousands of rare treasures. Among its present collection are rare photos, original documents, and many items from artists whose contributions helped shape an important era of the music industry. The collection will be an unparalleled representation of any music memorabilia collection. These original items which mostly have been donated by the artist and non-artist or their estates, cover the beginnings of R&B and Black Music from its early days in the 1940s to the present day.

Members of Hall of Fame

Location Detroit, MI