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VH1 debuted the first annual VH1 Divas concert in 1998. VH1 Divas Live was created to support the channel's Save The Music Foundation and subsequent concerts in the series have also benefited that foundation. The VH1 Divas concerts aired annually from 1998 to 2004. After a five-year hiatus, the series returned in 2009 with a younger-skewed revamp. In 2010 the concert saluted the troops and in 2011 it celebrated soul music, doubling the previous year's ratings. The latest edition, which aired live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on December 16, 2012, celebrated dance music and paid tribute to Whitney Houston and Donna Summer. The show was revived on December 5, 2016, at the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, New York with a holiday theme and achieved its highest ratings in over a decade.
Mariah Carey's band:Randy Jackson - Bass; Gigi Gonaway - Drums; Vernon Black - Guitar; Andrew Sherman - Keyboards; Michael Mcknight - Programmer; Juliet Haffner - Viola; Laura Seaton, Andre E. Stien, Peter M. Weimar - Violins; Marquino Brazil - Percussion; Melonie Daniels, Nicki Richards, Sherry Mcghee, Mary Ann Tatum - Background Vocals
Gloria Estefan's band: Jorge Casa - Bass; Clay Ostwald - Keyboards; Tim Mitchell, Rene Toledo - Guitars; Olin Burgos - Drums; Randy Barlow - Trombone & Trumpet; Teddy Mulet, Douglas Michaels - Trumpet; Kenny Andersom, Tom Timko - Saxes/Reeds; Rita Quintero, Juan"Chieto" Quinonez, George Noriega, Donna Allen - Vocals
Shania Twain's band: Brent Barcus - Guitar; Andrew Cichon - Bass; James Blair - Drums; Cory Churko, Allison Cornell - Mandolin/Fiddle; Marc D. Muller - Pedal Steel; Hardy Hempill - Keyboards
Aretha Franklin's band: H.B. Barnum - Conductor; David Rokeach - Drums; Francisco Centeno - Bass; Teddy Richards - Guitar; Richard Gibbs - Piano; Darryll Houston - Organ; Byron Strippling, Glenn Drews, Jorge Arciniega - Trumpet; Robert Trowers, Larry Farrell, Keith O'Quinn - Trombone; Lawrence Feldman, Dave Tofani, Ernie Fields Jr. Roger Rosenberg - Sax; Mae Kohn, Diana Madison, William Moore - Background vocals; Jaqui Whitman - Tambourine; Michael Beardon - Keyboards; Joe Passaro - Percussion
Céline Dion's band: Claude "Mégo" Lemay - Keyboards; Dominique Messier - Drums; Ives "Ivo" Frulla - Keyboards; André Coutu - Guitars; Paul Picard - Percussion; Élise Dugay- Background vocals & Tin Whistle; Terry Bradford, Julie LeBlanc - Background vocals
Aretha's band was used for her duet with Mariah Carey (Chain of Fools) and the finale (Natural Woman, and Testimony).
VH1 Divas Live/99
VH1 Divas Live/99: An Honors Concert For The VH1 Save The Music Foundation aired live on April 13, 1999.
Whitney Houston and Chaka Khan - "I'm Every Woman"
Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan, Faith Hill, Brandy, Mary J. Blige, and LeAnn Rimes - "I'm Every Woman (reprise)"
VH1 Divas 2000: A Tribute To Diana Ross
VH1 Divas 2000: A Tribute To Diana Ross - An Honors Concert For The VH1 Save The Music Foundation was the first of three concerts in the series not aired live. It was recorded on April 9, 2000 at New York's Madison Square Garden and first aired on April 11, 2000. Diana Ross requested the concert be recorded as time constraints for the airing of commercials would not allow enough time for her to change costumes. The well-received show took a mammoth 6 hours to record. This special also marked the introduction of Lynda Laurence and Scherrie Payne as Supremes, who were touring with Diana Ross. Laurence and Payne were Supremes during the 1970s.
The concert was never released on CD or DVD. Two of the songs were released as b-sides of singles from Mariah Carey and Destiny's Child.
Summary
Diana Ross knows how to feel the love in the room, which may explain why she frequently abandoned the stage to wander among the audience in the midst of her own tribute at Madison Square Garden. Ross still commanded plenty of star wattage. In their own singular ways, Mariah Carey, Donna Summer, Destiny's Child, Faith Hill and even RuPaul all hailed the Supremest Supreme. Ross sported a spangled outfit that matched Mariah Carey's own during their performance of "Baby Love." Donna Summer covered "Reflections" and Faith Hill bounced through "Love Child". Destiny's Child took on "Upside Down," accompanied by composer Nile Rodgers on guitar. But it was up to Ross to provide the biggest shock of all - a wild reunion with latter-day Supremes Linda Laurence and Scherrie Payne to perform "You Keep Me Hanging On" and "Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart."
Diana Ross & The Supremes - "Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart"
Diana Ross and Mariah Carey - Medley: "Baby Love" and "Stop! In The Name Of Love"
The Divas - "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"
Diana Ross - "I Will Survive"
Summary
This all-star tribute to Aretha Franklin at New York's Radio City Music Hall gave props to a woman who has been at the center of American music since arriving on the scene in the mid '60s. Franklin easily adapted herself to a variety of guests, crooning with the Backstreet Boys on "Chain of Fools," matching wails with Mary J. Blige on "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man," and letting Kid Rock storm her barn on "Rock Steady." She even joined a jazz ensemble led by Herbie Hancock for a little scat. Marc Anthony and Celia Cruz saluted the First Lady of Soul with salsa. Neo-soul up-and-comer Jill Scott made "A Natural Woman" feel like the real thing, and the New Jersey Mass Choir accompanied Franklin's assault on the hymn "Precious Memories." Janet Jackson, Sigourney Weaver, Renée Zellweger, Stevie Wonder and the Sopranos cast were among those looking on in awe.
The concert was not released on CD or DVD but some of Aretha's performances were eventually made available on the iTunes US Store.
Aretha Franklin and Kid Rock - "Rock Steady" - Performance Now Available on iTunes US Store
Aretha Franklin with Bishop Paul Morton & Choir - "Precious Memories" - Performance Now Available on iTunes US Store
Aretha Franklin - "Respect" - Performance Now Available on iTunes US Store
Aretha Franklin, Mary J. Blige, Jill Scott, Celia Cruz, Nelly Furtado, Backstreet Boys, Stevie Wonder, Marc Anthony, Herbie Hancock, Clark Terry, Ron Carter, Roy Haynes, James Carter, Russell Malone, and Aretha Franklin's Band - "Freeway Of Love" - Performance Now Available on iTunes US Store
VH1 Divas Las Vegas
VH1 Divas Las Vegas: An Honors Concert For The VH1 Save The Music Foundation aired live from the MGM Grand Las Vegas on May 23, 2002. For the first time, Divas Live broadcast from a city other than New York. This time around, Las Vegas played host city to the fifth Divas concert.
After being invited by Whitney Houston in 1999, an appearance that gave her big publicity worldwide, Mary J. Blige asked her friend to join her on Divas three years later to perform together her song "Rainy Dayz".
A CD/DVD of the concert was released later that year, but not all the performances or performers (most notably those of co-headliner Mary J. Blige) were included, due to various record label issues.
The Divas – "You Shook Me All Night Long (reprise)" – Not released on CD or DVD
VH1 Divas Duets
VH1 Divas Duets: An Honors Concert For The VH1 Save The Music Foundation aired live from the MGM Grand Las Vegas on May 22, 2003.
Summary
Chaka Khan, Beyoncé, Lisa Marie Presley, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Mary J. Blige, Jewel, Ashanti, Sharon Osbourne, Aisha Tyler, Stevie Wonder, Pat Benatar, Shania Twain, Bobby Brown and the Isley Brothers joined host Queen Latifah when "VH1 Divas Duets: A Benefit Concert for the VH1 Save the Music Foundation" aired live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Thursday, May 22 at 9:00pm (ET/PT). Tarralyn Ramsey was the winner of Born to Diva and performed on stage with the Divas!
Queen Latifah and Stevie Wonder - "Living For The City"
Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston, Mary J. Blige, Beyoncé, Chaka Khan, Jewel, Ashanti and Queen Latifah - "Higher Ground"
VH1 Divas 2004
VH1 Divas: An Honors Concert For The VH1 Save The Music Foundation aired live from the MGM Grand Las Vegas on April 18, 2004.
The show marks the first appearance of close friends and R&B and soul legends Patti LaBelle (who was told by producers she’d be considered "top dog" ) and Gladys Knight after they had turned down previous offers to appear. Gladys could never stay for the finale due to obligations with her one-woman show at the famed Flamingo Las Vegas. Kylie Minogue was originally confirmed as a headliner for the 1980s themed show, but withdrew shortly after.
Aside from the normal set of presenters, the concert also featured video testimonials from Chaka Khan, Carly Simon, Gloria Estefan, Mary J. Blige, Vanessa Williams, Alicia Keys, Pharrell Williams, Kathy Griffin (in what would prove to be the first of three consecutive appearances), Marg Helgenberger and Usher on the word "diva", their favorite divas, as well as the importance of music education in schools.
The concert was never released on CD or DVD.
Summary
They came. They saw. They sang their hearts out! Divas delivered a night of soulful, sexy and unstoppable performances in the city it defines electrifying entertainment: Las Vegas, Nevada. The seventh annual VH1 "Divas" show was a star-studded benefit concert for the VH1 Save the Music Foundation it featured performances by Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight, Debbie Harry, Jessica Simpson, Joss Stone, Cyndi Lauper, Ashanti, Blondie, Eve, Sheila E., Tom Jones, and The Pussycat Dolls featuring Carmen Electra.
Patti LaBelle, Cyndi Lauper, Debbie Harry, Joss Stone, Jessica Simpson, Sheila E., Ashanti, and The Pussycat Dolls - "New Attitude (Reprise)"
VH1 Divas 2009
VH1 Divas: An Honors Concert For The VH1 Save The Music Foundation aired live on September 17, 2009, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) Howard Gilman Opera House in Brooklyn, New York. Paula Abdul hosted and performed. This concert was never released on CD or DVD.
VH1 Divas Salute The Troops was the second of the three concerts in the series not aired live. It was recorded on Friday, December 3, 2010, at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar while Paramore was filmed earlier in the week at Army Camp Arifjan in Kuwait. The special first aired on Sunday, December 5, 2010 and broadcast internationally by the Armed Forces Network.
The concert also featured a telecast featuring First Lady Michelle Obama, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé (in her third appearance on the series), Fergie, P!nk, Ke$ha and Carrie Underwood delivering special messages to the troops. Certain select servicemen and women from Miramar, Naval Base Coronado, Camp Pendleton, and Camp Arifjan were also presented in video portraits, documenting their careers and journey in the US military.
VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul was the third of three concerts in the series not aired live. It was taped on December 18, 2011, at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, and aired the next evening on VH1, paying tribute to the places that helped create or contributed to soul music: Chicago, Detroit, London, Philadelphia and Memphis.
Anita Baker, who was going to sing with Jill Scott, had to drop out moments before the concert after disagreements with producers, allowing Marsha Ambrosius and Ledisi to step in and perform in their places during the Detroit medley. Kelly Clarkson twisted her ankle on the way into the concert, though she still performed as planned.
Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings - "He Said I Can" – Not aired in television broadcast
VH1 Divas 2012
VH1 Divas 2012 aired live on December 16, 2012 from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. The show was hosted by Adam Lambert and celebrated the dance-inducing music that is the vibrant soundtrack to every major blowout bash, unforgettable party and night out on the town. The show also paid tribute to the late music legends who died earlier that year: Whitney Houston and Donna Summer.
VH1 Divas Holiday: Unsilent Night was recorded on December 2, 2016, at the Kings Theater in Brooklyn, airing December 5, 2016. The concert was a holiday-themed celebration of music and pop-culture's greatest divas. The lineup included 'the Queen of Christmas' Mariah Carey, who returned to the Divas stage after 16 years for her third appearance, and Mariah's godmother, the iconic Patti LaBelle. Teyana Taylor and Vanessa Williams made debut appearances on the VH1 Divas stage, while the legendary Chaka Khan returned for her fourth time. The concert was the highest rated VH1 Divas broadcast in over a decade.
