The BET Awards has been the home of some of soul and R&B’s most moving tributes since the show’s first Lifetime Achievement Award was handed to Whitney Houston in 2001. Last night’s ceremony was no different, with viewers gushing over Jamie Foxx, Marsha Ambrosius and Ledisi’s tribute to Anita Baker, with Yolanda Adams’ powerful pipes garnering heavy praise from both fans at home and stars in the room.
Fantasia is the go-to-girl for soulful tributes, having dedicated performances to greats such as Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan and Patti LaBelle, the last establishing itself as one of the American Idol winner’s best moments on stage in 2014.
Beyoncé is often called this generation’s Tina Turner, so who better to honor the trailblazing Rock ‘N Soul star than the Houston singer, who did just that during the 2005 Kennedy Center Honors.
Powerhouse gospel singer Kim Burrell’s friendship with Whitney Houston went well beyond their shared vocal talents, as the late Houston jumped for joy upon realizing the pastor would cover her 1996 classic, “I Believe In You & Me,” during her BET Honors tribute.
After her passing, several other singers took on Houston’s classics in tribute, including Jennifer Hudson, who performed a stirring rendition of “One Moment in Time,” on a 2014 episode of TODAY.
Not only did pop superstar Beyoncé play Queen Etta in 2008 film Cadillac Records, but paid tribute to the influential vocalist at the 2008 Fashion Rocks Awards.
Adams’ Anita Baker tribute isn’t the first time the gospel powerhouse killed the mic in honor of another, as she tore the stage down alongside her pop, country and soul-singing peers while paying homage to Aretha Franklin at the 2011 Grammys.
Years before being officially honored by BET, the Detroit diva was honored by some of the most uniquely soulful voices in the game at the 2010 Soul Train Awards.
This website or its third-party tools use cookies, which are necessary to its functioning and required to achieve the purposes illustrated in the privacy policy. If you want to know more or withdraw your consent to all or some of the cookies, please refer to the privacy policy.
By closing this banner, scrolling on this page, clicking a link or continuing to browse otherwise, you agree to the use of cookies.OkRead more