1970-2026: Every Black Artist Who Has Performed at Rodeo Houston

RELATED: [RODEO HOUSTON 2026] Here’s the Full Lineup RELATED: Every Artist Bun B Has Brought to the Houston Rodeo (2022-24) 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. 2026: Lizzo

Lizzo houston,events

35. 1982-83, 1986, 1996: Kool & The Gang

36. 2018: Leon Bridges

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: That Mexican OT

70. 2024: The Ying Yang Twins

71. 2022: Tobe Nwigwe

72. 2023: Erykah Badu

73. 2022: Lil Keke

74. 2022: Slim Thug

75. 2023: Big KRIT

76. 2022: Big Mike

77. 2024: DMC

78. 2022: Devin the Dude

79. 2023: Yungstar

80. 2022: Z-Ro

81. 2022: Frankie J and Baby Bash

82. 2023: David Banner

83. 2024: E-40

84. 2024: Too Short

85. 2022-03: Lil Flip

86. 2023: Jazze Pha

87. 2022: Willie D

88. 2022: That Girl LayLay

89. 2023: Cupid

90. 2023: Tela

91. 2023: Scarface

92. 2023: Chalie Boy

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