NABFEME Shero Hall of Fame Inductees (2001—2018)
- Sylvia Rhone: A renowned American music executive. Sylvia is a fifty-year veteran of the music industry, she is the first Black woman to chair a major record company imprint and the first Black woman to hold dual CEO and chair positions at a major label.
- Suzanne de Passe: Her career began at Motown Records as the Creative Assistant to Founder/Chairman Berry Gordy, where she discovered The Jackson 5 and “The King of Pop” Michael Jackson, The Commodores featuring Lionel Richie, Rick James, Debarge, and other superstar Motown acts. She serves as the co-chairwoman of de Passe Jones Entertainment Group.
- Jamie Foster Brown: The former owner and publisher of Sister 2 Sister magazine, which ran from 1988 to 2014. Newsweek called it the “African-American version of People magazine.” Jamie Brown was a regular on the Joan Rivers Show and the Tom Joyner Morning Show. In 1998, she published Betty Shabazz: A Sisterfriends’ Tribute in Words and Pictures.
- Jean Riggins: Former Universal Records General Manager and Executive Vice President.
- Maria Davis: Music industry insider, Maria was diagnosed with HIV in 1995 after unknowingly contracting the virus from the man whom she was planning to marry. She leveraged her position in entertainment to educate the community about HIV by partnering with organizations such as Life Beat: Music Industry Fights HIV and BET Rap it Up Community Service, as well as serving as a key note speaker at various events for the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS, Inc.
- Sharon Heyward: An accomplished music industry veteran who served as SVP/GM of Virgin Records and President of Perspective Records, and is known for her work in urban music and artist development. After a decade at RCA Records, where she worked her way up to project manager, she moved in 1987 to Virgin Records. There she rose from marketing director to president and GM, heading the label’s urban department and hiring its first Black staff.
- Patti LaBelle: Started her career in 1960 as the front woman of Patti Labelle and the Bluebelles. An iconic singer, actress and entrepreneur, known as “Godmother of Soul,” Ms Patti is the creator of her commercially famous sweet potato pie. In the 1970s, the group rebranded as LaBelle, embracing a funk/glam rock style, releasing the iconic 1974 hit “Lady Marmalade.” They were the first African-American pop group to play at the Metropolitan Opera House. Renowned for her powerful vocals and hits like “New Attitude,” Ms Patti has won multiple Grammy Awards and NAACP Image Awards. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and has sold over 50 million records.
- Valerie Simpson: A renowned singer, songwriter and producer… best known as half of the Motown songwriting and performing duo Ashford & Simpson with her late husband, Nickolas Ashford. They penned iconic hits like “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and “I’m Every Woman.” Valerie co-owns the New York City venue, The Sugar Bar where NABFEME’s Women Who Jam! began its all-female live music showcase series.
- Angela Winbush: A powerful R&B/soul singer-songwriter, musician and record producer who rose to fame first in the 1980s as half of the R&B duo René & Angela. She also scored many hits as a solo artist. Angela Winbush has sold over 10 million albums and singles worldwide.
- Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole: An American anthropologist, educator, museum director, and college president. Dr. Cole was the first female African-American president of Spelman College, a historically black college, serving from 1987 to 1997. She was president of Bennett College from 2002 to 2007.
- Paula Madison: A trailblazer in the field of broadcast television, Paula Madison is an American journalist, writer, businessperson, executive and a former NBCUniversal executive who is now CEO of a family investment group. On May 20, 2011, she retired from NBC after more than 35 years in the news media. She is currently the Chairman of Madison Media Management LLC, a Los Angeles–based media consultancy company with global reach.
- Sylvia Robinson: Known simply as Sylvia, she was an American singer and record producer. Sylvia achieved success as a performer with two R&B hits as half of Mickey & Sylvia with the 1957 single “Love Is Strange”, and her solo record “Pillow Talk.” From the first rap single to sell a million copies, to the first scratching on record… Sylvia Robinson created the template for Hip-Hop’s world domination. Her genius conceived and produced the first successful rap record in the summer of 1979, “Rapper’s Delight” by The Sugarhill Gang. The single transformed the street culture of Hip-Hop into a commercially viable art form. Not only was it the first rap single to conquer radio and the charts — it was the first rap single to sell over a million units!
- Dionne Warwick: An American R&B and pop singer, actress and television host. Dionne Warwick has won six Grammy Awards and received Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Rhythm & Blues Foundation and ASCAP. In 1987, President Ronald Reagan appointed her a U.S. Ambassador of Health, and in 2002 she became a United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization
- Ruby Dee: An American actress. She was married to Ossie Davis, with whom she frequently performed until his death in 2005. Ruby Dee received numerous accolades, including an Emmy Award, a Grammy Award, an Obie Award, and a Drama Desk Award, as well as a nomination for an Academy Award.
- Nona Hendryx: An American vocalist, record producer, songwriter, musician, and author. Nona is known for her work as a solo artist as well as for being one-third of the trio LaBelle, who had a huge hit with the song “Lady Marmalade.”
- Dyana Williams: An American radio and music industry professional, journalist, community activist, artist development and media coach, and documentarian, as well as the founder of Influence Entertainment and co-founder of the non-profit, the International Association of African American Music Foundation. Dyana is a featured commentator in TV One’s docu-series, UNSUNG. She co-wrote House Concurrent Bill 509, which recognized African American accomplishments in music and helped establish African-American Music Appreciation Month widely known as “Black Music Month.”
- Sarah Dash: An American singer. She first appeared on the music scene as a member of Patti LaBelle & The Bluebelles. Sarah was later a member of Labelle, and worked as a singer, session musician, and background vocalist for The Rolling Stones, and Keith Richards.
- Vivian Scott Chew: She entered into the music business as an office assistant for entertainment attorney Louise West. She also served as a personal assistant to singer, songwriter, producer Kashif. In 1985 she was named President of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), the first Black woman to head the organization. While at ASCAP she created the Rhythm & Soul Awards, and was later segued to Polygram Records as the head of A&R. After two years with Polygram, Vivian was named Vice President of Urban music for Sony/550 Records and later named VP of A&R for Epic Records where she signed Reggae artist Shabba Ranks. Shabba’s debut album for Epic became the first reggae album to top Billboard’s R&B chart and snagged the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album in 1991.