Black Music Month: Celebs Reveal Favorite Concert

June is Black Music Month and what better time to celebrate its rich history.

For centuries, Black musicians, singers, writers, and producers have made incredible contributions to the music industry.

This is the month set aside to pay homage to all those individuals who, through their music, have made us smile, laugh, cry, dance, tap our feet, clap our hands and swivel our hips.

President Jimmy Carter officially designated the month of celebration on June 7, 1979. It was during a reception at The White House, which featured performances by Chuck Berry, Billy Eckstine, Little Richard and Andre Crouch.

On May 31, 2016, President Obama declared the month of June 2016 as “African-American Music Appreciation Month” in a presidential proclamation. Although June was first deemed “Black Music Month” by Jimmy Carter and campaigned for by songwriter and producer Kenneth Gamble back in 1979, as the nation’s first Black President, POTUS felt strongly that an official proclamation was more appropriate.

The proclamation calls Black music “among the most innovative and powerful art the world has ever known.” President Obama also calls upon “public officials, educators, and people of the United States to observe this month with appropriate activities and programs that raise awareness and foster appreciation of music that is composed, arranged or performed by African Americans.”

I recently caught up with some celebrities and asked them the following: What was the best concert you ever attended?

BLACK MUSIC MONTH – What was the best concert you ever attended?

COLMAN DOMINGO

COLMAN DOMINGO – (Fear the Walking Dead/If Beale Street Could Talk) Earth, Wind, and Fire in 1978 at the Mann Music Center. It was my first concert.

ETIENNE CHARLES

ETIENNE CHARLES – (Tobagonian trumpeter) Stevie Wonder in 2008 and 2014. Two of the three best. Earth, Wind, and Fire!  They don’t disappoint.

BEVERLY JOHNSON

BEVERLY JOHNSON – (Supermodel, actress, businesswoman) James Brown. He was the first concert I ever went to.

MYKELTI WILLIAMSON

MYKELTI WILLIAMSON – (Forrest Gump, Con Air, Fences) I have too many to pick just one. Stevie Wonder.  Diana Ross turned it out at the Forum back in the day. Prince and Michael Jackson. Then I’ve seen B.B. King get down, so I can’t say the best. Let's just put all of the above.

LORETTA DIVINE

LORETTA DIVINE – (Grey’s Anatomy, The Carmichael Show) I go to a lot of jazz concerts here in Los Angeles. We try to go to the Valentine's concert in Long Beach.  I’d say those are the best.

RENO WILSON

RENO WILSON – (Good Girls, Bolden, Mike and Molly) Prince!  I went to see him three times. He would go off stage, they’d call him back and do four encores.