Johnny Nash (August 19, 1940 - October 6, 2020) - singer, songwriter, composer
Betty Wright (December 21, 1953 - May 10, 2020) - singer, songwriter
McCoy Tyner (December 11, 1938 - March 6, 2020) - pianist, composer, arranger, bandleader
Ethel Ennis (November 28, 1932 – February 17, 2019) - singer, vocalist, Baltimore’s “First Lady of Jazz”
Edwin L. Birdsong (August 22, 1941 – January 21, 2019) - keyboard/organ player, known in the 1970s and 1980s for his experimental funk/disco music and working with Roy Ayers and Stevie Wonder
Nancy Wilson (February 20, 1937 – December 13, 2018) - singer, vocalist
Roy Anthony Hargrove (October 16, 1969 – November 2, 2018) - trumpeter, composer, bandleader
Otis Rush Jr. (April 29, 1934 – September 29, 2018) - guitarist, singer-songwriter, bandleader
Randy Weston (April 6, 1926 – September 1, 2018) - pianist, composer, bandleader, lecturer, synthesis of African elements with jazz technique
Charles Neville (December 28, 1938 – April 26, 2018) - saxophonist, best known as part of The Neville Brothers
Cecil Taylor (March 15, 1929 – April 5, 2018) - pianist, composer, bandleader, poet, one of the pioneers of free jazz
Leon "Ndugu" Chancler (July 1, 1952 – February 3, 2018) - drummer. studio musician, composer, producer, university professor
Hugh Ramapolo Masekela (April 4, 1939 – January 23, 2018) - South African trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, composer, singer
Chuck Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) - guitarist, singer, songwriter, one of the pioneers of rock and roll music
Al Jarreau (March 12, 1940 – February 12, 2017) - singer, musician
Melbourne Robert "Bob" Cranshaw (December 10, 1932 – November 2, 2016) - bassist
Kashif Saleem (December 26, 1956 – September 25, 2016) - multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, record producer, artist, composer, author, director, educator
Robert "Bobby" Hutcherson (January 27, 1941 – August 15, 2016) - vibraphone and marimba player, composer, bandleader
Bernie Worrell (April 19, 1944 – June 24, 2016) - keyboardist, pianist, composer, a founding member of Parliament-Funkadelic
Billy Paul (December 1, 1934 – April 24, 2016) - singer
Prince Rogers Nelson (June 7, 1958 – April 21, 2016) - singer, songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist, record producer
Dennis Davis (August 28, 1949 – April 6, 2016) - drummer
Maurice White (December 19, 1941 – February 3, 2016) - drummer, singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, arranger, bandleader
Natalie Maria Cole (February 6, 1950 – December 31, 2015) - singer, songwriter, actress
Ornette Coleman (March 9, 1930 – June 11, 2015) - alto saxophonist, violinist, trumpeter, composer
B.B. King (September 16, 1925 – May 14, 2015) - blues singer, electric guitarist, songwriter, record producer
Clark Terry (December 14, 1920 – February 21, 2015) - trumpeter, flugelhorn player, composer, bandleader, educator
Horace Silver (September 2, 1928 – June 18, 2014) - pianist, composer, arranger, bandleader
Yusef Abdul Lateef (October 9, 1920 – December 23, 2013) - multi-instrumentalist, tenor saxophonist, flautist, composer
Chico Hamilton, (September 20, 1921 – November 25, 2013) - drummer, bandleader
George Duke (January 12, 1946 – August 5, 2013) - pianist, keyboard pioneer, composer, singer, producer
Donald Byrd (December 9, 1932 – February 4, 2013) - trumpeter, composer, bandleader
David Peaston (March 13, 1957 – February 1, 2012) - singer
Fontella Bass (July 3, 1940 – December 26, 2012) - singer, composer
Ted Curson (June 3, 1935 – November 4, 2012) - trumpeter, composer, bandleader
Von Freeman (October 3, 1923 – August 11, 2012) - tenor saxophonist, composer, bandleader
Pete Cosey (October 9, 1943 – May 30, 2012) - guitarist
James "Red" Holloway (May 31, 1927 – February 25, 2012) - tenor saxophonist, bandleader
Cornell Dupree (December 19, 1942 – May 8, 2011) - guitarist, bandleader, writer, author
Frank Foster (September 23, 1928 – July 26, 2011) - tenor and soprano saxophonist, flautist, arranger, composer
Billy Taylor (July 24, 1921 – December 28, 2010) - pianist, composer, bandleader, broadcaster, educator
Abbey Lincoln (August 6, 1930 – August 14, 2010) - vocalist, songwriter, composer, actress
Hank Jones (July 31, 1918 – May 16, 2010) - pianist, bandleader, arranger, composer
Lena Horne (June 30, 1917 – May 9, 2010) - singer, dancer, actress, civil rights activist
Koko Taylor (September 28, 1928 – June 3, 2009) - singer, songwriter
David "Fathead" Newman (February 24, 1933 – January 20, 2009) - saxophonist, composer, bandleader
Freddie Hubbard (April 7, 1938 – December 29, 2008) - trumpeter, composer, bandleader
Norman Whitfield (May 12, 1940 – September 16, 2008) - songwriter, producer, one of the creators of the Motown Sound and psychedelic soul
Johnny Griffin (April 24, 1928 – July 25, 2008) - tenor saxophonist, composer, bandleader
Oscar Peterson (August 15, 1925 – December 23, 2007) - pianist, composer
Ike Turner (November 5, 1931 – December 12, 2007) - pianist, bandleader, songwriter, arranger, talent scout, record producer
Gordon "Specs" Powell (June 5, 1922 – September 15, 2007) - drummer, percussionist
Max Roach (January 10, 1924 – August 16, 2007) - percussionist, drummer, composer, bandleader
Jackie McLean (May 17, 1931 – March 31, 2006) - alto saxophonist, composer, bandleader, educator, activist
Lou Rawls (December 1, 1933 – January 6, 2006) - singer, voice actor, songwriter, record producer
Lyn Collins (June 12, 1948 – March 13, 2005) - singer
Jimmy Smith (December 8, 1925 – February 8, 2005) - organist, pianist, composer, bandleader
Nina Simone (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003) - singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, civil rights activist