Chaka Khan

A legendary R&B diva for over four decades, Chaka Khan first gained fame as the sultry lead singer for the group Rufus, which scored major hits in the early 1970s with such funk and soul tracks as "Tell Me Something Good" and "Ain't Nobody." Khan's earthy, sensual presence and force-of-nature vocals soon became more popular than the band itself, which led to tensions within the group and the inevitable smash solo debut, featuring the hit single "I'm Every Woman," with a young Whitney Houston on backing vocals years before she scored her own hit with the song. After splitting with Rufus, Khan firmly established herself as a solo artist with I Feel for You and its Grammy-winning eponymous lead single. The record preceded a run of Top 10 hits in 1985 for Khan, including guest vocals on Steve Winwood's Grammy-winning single "Higher Love," a high-energy pop-R&B workout. After some quieter years, Khan returned in 2007 with the Grammy-winning Funk This, which not only reignited her career, but also confirmed her status as one of soul music's most extraordinary and enduring voices.