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.
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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
Source:Getty
2. 2004: Ashanti
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3. 2004 & 2007: Beyonce
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4. 1990-91: Bill Cosby
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5. 1985: Billy Ocean
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6. 2010: Black Eyed Peas
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7. 1997: Bo Diddley
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8. 2004: Bow Wow
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9. 2000: Boyz II Men
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10. 1999 & 2002: Brian McKnight
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11. 2022-2025: Bun B
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12. 1991: C+C Music Factory
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13. 2019: Cardi B
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14. 2020: Chance the Rapper
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15. 1970, 1972-87, 1989, 1991, 2002: Charley Pride
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16. 2007: Cheetah Girls
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17. 2012: China Anne McClain from A.N.T. Farm with the McClain Sisters
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18. 1992: Color Me Badd
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19. 2009-10, 2016: Darius Rucker
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20. 2001-02: Destiny’s Child
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21. 2001: Diana Ross
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22. 1997: Earth Wind and Fire
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23. 2017: Fifth Harmony
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24. 1991, 1993-94, 2006: Frankie Beverly & Maze
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25. 1994, 1996, 2001, 2009 (with The Pips 1984): Gladys Knight
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26. 1990: James Ingram
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27. 2011: Janet Jackson
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28. 2016: Jason Derulo
Source:2016 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
29. 2008, 2012, 2015: John Legend
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30. 2019, 2022: Kane Brown
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31. 2019, 2022: KC and The Sunshine Band
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32. 2007: Kem
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33. 2022: Khalid
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34. 1982-83, 1986, 1996: Kool & The Gang
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35. 2018: Leon Bridges
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36. 1999: Lionel Richie
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37. 1990: Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
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38. 2003: LL Cool J
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39. 1989, 1998: Luther Vandross
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40. 2004: Marques Houston
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41. 2004 (with Destiny’s Child — 2001-02): Michelle Williams
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42. 1999: Monica
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43. 1995, 2007: Natalie Cole
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44. 2004: Omarion
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45. 1987, 1990, 1992, 2001: Patti LaBelle
Source:R1 Digital
46. 1995: Peabo Bryson
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47. 2006: Raven Symone
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48. 2003: Ray Charles
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49. 1975: Rufus with Chaka Khan
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50. 1993: Sinbad
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51. 2000: Smokey Robinson
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52. 2009: Solange
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53. 1991: Stevie B
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54. 1972-73: The Fifth Dimension
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55. 1985: The Commodores
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56. 1991: The Isley Brothers
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57. 1973-74: The Jackson 5
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58. 1993: The Winans
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59. 2014: Usher
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60. 1988: Zapp (featuring Roger)
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61. 2023: Juvenile & Mannie Fresh
Source:Juvenile & Mannie Fresh
62. 2024: Drake
Source:Drake
63. 2024: Rick Ross
Source:Rick Ross
64. 2024: Nelly
Source:Nelly
65. 2023: 8Ball and MJG
Source:8Ball and MJG
66. 2024: Eve
Source:RODEO HOUSTON
67. 2024: The Ying Yang Twins
Source:The Ying Yang Twins
68. 2022: Tobe Nwigwe
Source:Tobe Nwigwe
69. 2023: Erykah Badu
Source:Erykah Badu
70. 2022: Lil Keke
Source:Radio One
71. 2022: Slim Thug
Source:Slim Thug
72. 2023: Big KRIT
Source:Big KRIT
73. 2022: Big Mike
Source:Big Mike
74. 2024: DMC
Source:DMC
75. 2022: Devin the Dude
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76. 2023: Yungstar
Source:Yungstar
77. 2022: Z-Ro
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78. 2022: Frankie J and Baby Bash
Source:Frankie J and Baby Bash
79. 2023: David Banner
Source:David Banner
80. 2024: E-40
Source:Radio One Houston
81. 2024: Too Short
Source:Too Short
82. 2022-03: Lil Flip
Source:Lil Flip
83. 2023: Jazze Pha
Source:Jazze Pha
84. 2022: Willie D
Source:Willie D
85. 2022: That Girl LayLay
Source:That Girl LayLay
86. 2023: Cupid
Source:Cupid
87. 2023: Tela
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88. 2023: Scarface
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89. 2023: Chalie Boy
Source:Chalie Boy
90. 1996: Billy D. Washington
Source:Billy D. Washington
91. 2022: H-Town
Source:H-Town
92. 2022: Letoya Luckett
Source:LeToya Luckett
93. 2022: Big Pokey & Paul Wall
Source:Big Pokey & Paul Wall
94. 2025: Keith Sweat
Source:HLSR
95. 2025: Jagged Edge
Source:Radio One
96. 2025: Yolanda Adams
Source:HLSR
97. 2025: Ludacris
Source:HLSR
98. 2025: T.I.
Source:HLSR
99. 2025: Don Toliver
Source:HLSR
100. 2025: Coco Jones
Source:HLSR
