Joe Weaver

There never would have been a "new" R&B if there hadn't been an original, and some of the best of that original sound is right here in Detroit. This old-school pro's time-tested credentials place him in a league his "new" rhythm and blues counterparts can only hope to enter on a very good day — if they're lucky and the entry fee has been lowered. In short, this cat is the real deal. If you want to know where it all started — and why where it started is in some ways better than where it ended up — then go check this guy out. History never sounded this good.