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1970-2025: Every Black Artist Who Has Performed at Rodeo Houston

Beyonce Concert In Houston

Source: Frank Micelotta / Getty

In 1931, a small group men met for lunch at the Texas State Hotel with a goal: Preserving the cattle industry along the Texas Gulf Coast. One year later, The Houston Fat Stock Show and Livestock Exposition was created and what is now known as The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo began to take shape.

RELATED: [RODEO HOUSTON 2025] Here’s the Full Lineup RELATED: Every Artist Bun B Has Brought to the Houston Rodeo (2022-24) Since then, the rodeo has grown to include parades, a carnival, cooking competitions and of course.. music. The very first musical act to be featured at the rodeo took place in 1942, when Gene Autry “The Singing Cowboy,” and his majestic horse Champion trodded onto the scene and kicked off what would become a long-held tradition of featuring big name acts to entertain the crowd. In 1970, Charley Pride would also make history — becoming the first black entertainer to hit the rodeo soundstage. The decades that followed would see more black entertainers including The Jackson 5, The Isley Brothers, Kool & The Gang, Ray Charles, Bun B, Drake, Beyonce and even a few popular comedians! Scroll below for a look back at the history of black performers at Rodeo Houston.

1. 2024: 50 Cent

2024: 50 Cent — Source: Getty

2. 2004: Ashanti

2004: Ashanti — Source: Getty

3. 2004 & 2007: Beyonce

2004 & 2007: Beyonce — Source: Getty

4. 1990-91: Bill Cosby

1990-91: Bill Cosby — Source: Getty

5. 1985: Billy Ocean

1985: Billy Ocean — Source: Getty

6. 2010: Black Eyed Peas

2010: Black Eyed Peas — Source: Getty

7. 1997: Bo Diddley

1997: Bo Diddley — Source: Getty

8. 2004: Bow Wow

2004: Bow Wow — Source: Getty

9. 2000: Boyz II Men

2000: Boyz II Men — Source: Getty

10. 1999 & 2002: Brian McKnight

1999 & 2002: Brian McKnight — Source: Getty

11. 2022-2025: Bun B

2022-2025: Bun B — Source: Getty

12. 1991: C+C Music Factory

1991: C+C Music Factory — Source: Getty

13. 2019: Cardi B

2019: Cardi B — Source: Getty

14. 2020: Chance the Rapper

2020: Chance the Rapper — Source: Getty

15. 1970, 1972-87, 1989, 1991, 2002: Charley Pride

1970, 1972-87, 1989, 1991, 2002: Charley Pride — Source: Getty

16. 2007: Cheetah Girls

2007: Cheetah Girls — Source: Getty

17. 2012: China Anne McClain from A.N.T. Farm with the McClain Sisters

2012: China Anne McClain from A.N.T. Farm with the McClain Sisters — Source: Getty

18. 1992: Color Me Badd

1992: Color Me Badd — Source: Getty

19. 2009-10, 2016: Darius Rucker

2009-10, 2016: Darius Rucker — Source: Getty

20. 2001-02: Destiny's Child

2001-02: Destiny's Child — Source: Getty

21. 2001: Diana Ross

2001: Diana Ross — Source: Getty

22. 1997: Earth Wind and Fire

1997: Earth Wind and Fire — Source: Getty

23. 2017: Fifth Harmony

2017: Fifth Harmony — Source: Getty

24. 1991, 1993-94, 2006: Frankie Beverly & Maze

1991, 1993-94, 2006: Frankie Beverly & Maze — Source: Getty

25. 1994, 1996, 2001, 2009 (with The Pips 1984): Gladys Knight

1994, 1996, 2001, 2009 (with The Pips 1984): Gladys Knight — Source: Getty

26. 1990: James Ingram

1990: James Ingram — Source: Getty

27. 2011: Janet Jackson

2011: Janet Jackson — Source: Getty

28. 2016: Jason Derulo

2016: Jason Derulo — Source: 2016 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

29. 2008, 2012, 2015: John Legend

2008, 2012, 2015: John Legend — Source: Getty

30. 2019, 2022: Kane Brown

2019, 2022: Kane Brown — Source: Getty

31. 2019, 2022: KC and The Sunshine Band

2019, 2022: KC and The Sunshine Band — Source: Getty

32. 2007: Kem

2007: Kem — Source: Getty

33. 2022: Khalid

2022: Khalid — Source: Getty

34. 1982-83, 1986, 1996: Kool & The Gang

1982-83, 1986, 1996: Kool & The Gang — Source: Getty

35. 2018: Leon Bridges

2018: Leon Bridges — Source: Getty

36. 1999: Lionel Richie

1999: Lionel Richie — Source: Getty

37. 1990: Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam

1990: Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam — Source: Getty

38. 2003: LL Cool J

2003: LL Cool J — Source: Getty

39. 1989, 1998: Luther Vandross

1989, 1998: Luther Vandross — Source: Getty

40. 2004: Marques Houston

2004: Marques Houston — Source: Getty

41. 2004 (with Destiny's Child — 2001-02): Michelle Williams

2004 (with Destiny's Child — 2001-02): Michelle Williams — Source: Getty

42. 1999: Monica

1999: Monica — Source: Getty

43. 1995, 2007: Natalie Cole

1995, 2007: Natalie Cole — Source: Getty

44. 2004: Omarion

2004: Omarion — Source: Getty

45. 1987, 1990, 1992, 2001: Patti LaBelle

1987, 1990, 1992, 2001: Patti LaBelle — Source: R1 Digital

46. 1995: Peabo Bryson

1995: Peabo Bryson — Source: Getty

47. 2006: Raven Symone

2006: Raven Symone — Source: Getty

48. 2003: Ray Charles

2003: Ray Charles — Source: Getty

49. 1975: Rufus with Chaka Khan

1975: Rufus with Chaka Khan — Source: Getty

50. 1993: Sinbad

1993: Sinbad — Source: Getty

51. 2000: Smokey Robinson

2000: Smokey Robinson — Source: Getty

52. 2009: Solange

2009: Solange — Source: Getty

53. 1991: Stevie B

1991: Stevie B — Source: Getty

54. 1972-73: The Fifth Dimension

1972-73: The Fifth Dimension — Source: Getty

55. 1985: The Commodores

1985: The Commodores — Source: Getty

56. 1991: The Isley Brothers

1991: The Isley Brothers — Source: Getty

57. 1973-74: The Jackson 5

1973-74: The Jackson 5 — Source: Getty

58. 1993: The Winans

1993: The Winans — Source: Getty

59. 2014: Usher

2014: Usher — Source: Getty

60. 1988: Zapp (featuring Roger)

1988: Zapp (featuring Roger) — Source: Getty

61. 2023: Juvenile & Mannie Fresh

2023: Juvenile & Mannie Fresh — Source: Juvenile & Mannie Fresh

62. 2024: Drake

2024: Drake — Source: Drake

63. 2024: Rick Ross

2024: Rick Ross — Source: Rick Ross

64. 2024: Nelly

2024: Nelly — Source: Nelly

65. 2023: 8Ball and MJG

2023: 8Ball and MJG — Source: 8Ball and MJG

66. 2024: Eve

2024: Eve — Source: RODEO HOUSTON

67. 2024: That Mexican OT

2024: That Mexican OT — Source: That Mexican OT

68. 2024: The Ying Yang Twins

2024: The Ying Yang Twins — Source: The Ying Yang Twins

69. 2022: Tobe Nwigwe

2022: Tobe Nwigwe — Source: Tobe Nwigwe

70. 2023: Erykah Badu

2023: Erykah Badu — Source: Erykah Badu

71. 2022: Lil Keke

2022: Lil Keke — Source: Radio One

72. 2022: Slim Thug

2022: Slim Thug — Source: Slim Thug

73. 2023: Big KRIT

2023: Big KRIT — Source: Big KRIT

74. 2022: Big Mike

2022: Big Mike — Source: Big Mike

75. 2024: DMC

2024: DMC — Source: DMC

76. 2022: Devin the Dude

2022: Devin the Dude — Source: Getty

77. 2023: Yungstar

2023: Yungstar — Source: Yungstar

78. 2022: Z-Ro

2022: Z-Ro — Source: Getty

79. 2022: Frankie J and Baby Bash

2022: Frankie J and Baby Bash — Source: Frankie J and Baby Bash

80. 2023: David Banner

2023: David Banner — Source: David Banner

81. 2024: E-40

2024: E-40 — Source: Radio One Houston

82. 2024: Too Short

2024: Too Short — Source: Too Short

83. 2022-03: Lil Flip

2022-03: Lil Flip — Source: Lil Flip

84. 2023: Jazze Pha

2023: Jazze Pha — Source: Jazze Pha

85. 2022: Willie D

2022: Willie D — Source: Willie D

86. 2022: That Girl LayLay

2022: That Girl LayLay — Source: That Girl LayLay

87. 2023: Cupid

2023: Cupid — Source: Cupid

88. 2023: Tela

2023: Tela — Source: Tela

89. 2023: Scarface

2023: Scarface — Source: Getty

90. 2023: Chalie Boy

2023: Chalie Boy — Source: Chalie Boy

91. 2022: H-Town

2022: H-Town — Source: H-Town

92. 2022: Letoya Luckett

2022: Letoya Luckett — Source: LeToya Luckett

93. 2022: Big Pokey & Paul Wall

2022: Big Pokey & Paul Wall — Source: Big Pokey & Paul Wall

94. 2025: Keith Sweat

2025: Keith Sweat — Source: HLSR

95. 2025: Jagged Edge

2025: Jagged Edge — Source: Radio One

96. 2025: Yolanda Adams

2025: Yolanda Adams — Source: HLSR

97. 2025: Ludacris

2025: Ludacris — Source: HLSR

98. 2025: T.I.

2025: T.I. — Source: HLSR

99. 2025: Don Toliver

2025: Don Toliver — Source: HLSR

100. 2025: Coco Jones

2025: Coco Jones — Source: HLSR

1970-2025: Every Black Artist Who Has Performed at Rodeo Houston was originally published on ronetheboxhouston.staging.go.ione.nyc

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