Cincinnati's Black Music Walk Of Fame Officially Opens To The Public

The Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame opened to the public on July 22 wiht. This year’s inductees include James Brown, who recorded some of his music at Cincinnati's King Records, The Deele, L.A. Reid, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds and late Spinners singer Philippé Wynne and Louise Shropshire. 

"The historical part of this place is that African-American slaves lived in this flood plain and [the Hall of Fame] is across from Paycor Stadium, where the annual Cincinnati Music Festival takes place,” Hamilton County Commissioner Alicia Reece said. 

Reece's drive for the project was fueled by her mother's death. Her mother, Barbara Howard, was a national recording artist, and her father, Steven Reece Sr., was a local rep for Motown Records who helped to bring both the Beatles and Aretha Franklin to town for their first-ever Cincinnati dates. When Howard died, Reece realized her purpose in life was to leave something for future generations. 

The new class joins 2021 inductees Bootsy Collins, the Isley Brothers, Dr. Charles Fold and Otis Williams, and 2022 inductees Penny Ford, Midnight Star, Wilbert Longmire and Hi-Tek.