1970-2026: Every Black Artist Who Has Performed at Rodeo Houston
- The rodeo has hosted Black artists like Charley Pride, The Jackson 5, and Beyoncé since its early days.
- Over the decades, the lineup has expanded to include a wide range of Black musicians, comedians, and other performers.
- The rodeo's commitment to diversity has made it a platform for celebrating Black talent and culture.
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
2. 2004: Ashanti
3. 2004 & 2007: Beyonce
4. 1990-91: Bill Cosby
5. 1985: Billy Ocean
6. 2010: Black Eyed Peas
7. 1997: Bo Diddley
8. 2004: Bow Wow
9. 2000: Boyz II Men
10. 1999 & 2002: Brian McKnight
11. 2022-2025: Bun B
12. 1991: C+C Music Factory
13. 2019: Cardi B
14. 2020: Chance the Rapper
15. 1970, 1972-87, 1989, 1991, 2002: Charley Pride
16. 2007: Cheetah Girls
17. 2012: China Anne McClain from A.N.T. Farm with the McClain Sisters
18. 1992: Color Me Badd
19. 2009-10, 2016: Darius Rucker
20. 2001-02: Destiny’s Child
21. 2001: Diana Ross
22. 1997: Earth Wind and Fire
23. 2017: Fifth Harmony
24. 1991, 1993-94, 2006: Frankie Beverly & Maze
25. 1994, 1996, 2001, 2009 (with The Pips 1984): Gladys Knight
26. 1990: James Ingram
27. 2011: Janet Jackson
28. 2016: Jason Derulo
29. 2008, 2012, 2015: John Legend
30. 2019, 2022: Kane Brown
31. 2019, 2022: KC and The Sunshine Band
32. 2007: Kem
33. 2022: Khalid
34. 1982-83, 1986, 1996: Kool & The Gang
35. 2018: Leon Bridges
36. 2026: Lizzo
37. 1999: Lionel Richie
38. 1990: Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
39. 2003: LL Cool J
40. 1989, 1998: Luther Vandross
41. 2004: Marques Houston
42. 2004 (with Destiny’s Child — 2001-02): Michelle Williams
43. 1999: Monica
44. 1995, 2007: Natalie Cole
45. 2004: Omarion
46. 1987, 1990, 1992, 2001: Patti LaBelle
47. 1995: Peabo Bryson
48. 2006: Raven Symone
49. 2003: Ray Charles
50. 1975: Rufus with Chaka Khan
51. 2026: Shaboozey
52. 1993: Sinbad
53. 2000: Smokey Robinson
54. 2009: Solange
55. 1991: Stevie B
56. 1972-73: The Fifth Dimension
57. 1985: The Commodores
58. 1991: The Isley Brothers
59. 1973-74: The Jackson 5
60. 1993: The Winans
61. 2014: Usher
62. 1988: Zapp (featuring Roger)
63. 2023: Juvenile & Mannie Fresh
64. 2024: Drake
65. 2024: Rick Ross
66. 2024: Nelly
67. 2023: 8Ball and MJG
68. 2024: Eve
69. 2024: The Ying Yang Twins
70. 2022: Tobe Nwigwe
71. 2023: Erykah Badu
72. 2022: Lil Keke
73. 2022: Slim Thug
74. 2023: Big KRIT
75. 2022: Big Mike
76. 2024: DMC
77. 2022: Devin the Dude
78. 2023: Yungstar
79. 2022: Z-Ro
80. 2022: Frankie J and Baby Bash
81. 2023: David Banner
82. 2024: E-40
83. 2024: Too Short
84. 2022-03: Lil Flip
85. 2023: Jazze Pha
86. 2022: Willie D
87. 2022: That Girl LayLay
88. 2023: Cupid
89. 2023: Tela
90. 2023: Scarface
91. 2023: Chalie Boy
92. 1996: Billy D. Washington
93. 2022: H-Town
94. 2022: Letoya Luckett
95. 2022: Big Pokey & Paul Wall
96. 2025: Keith Sweat
97. 2025: Jagged Edge
98. 2025: Yolanda Adams
99. 2025: Ludacris
100. 2025: T.I.
101. 2025: Don Toliver
102. 2025: Coco Jones
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