10 Greatest Apollo Theater Performances That Defined R&B Forever

Before they were legends, they had to survive the Apollo. In Harlem, on 125th Street, the Apollo Theater tested every singer who walked onto its stage. This cinematic documentary follows ten Apollo Theater performances and appearances, from Bruno Mars on the marquee in 2017 to James Brown's Live at the Apollo in 1962, and shows how that stage shaped R&B history, soul music, and popular music itself. ▶ Inside this film: • Bruno Mars takes the Apollo marquee for a primetime special • Patti LaBelle, Diana Ross, and Smokey Robinson at the 1985 Motown Returns to the Apollo • George Michael sings "Careless Whisper" beside Smokey Robinson • Gladys Knight & the Pips learn to command a stage • Marvin Gaye and a moment with Tammi Terrell, told with the historical caveats it requires • Sarah Vaughan wins Amateur Night in 1942 • Otis Redding's 1963 Apollo recording • Aretha Franklin and the marquee that read "She's Home" • James Brown risks his own money to record Live at the Apollo Where the record is disputed, we say so. Where it's silent, we don't invent. This is music history told as carefully as it deserves. 00:00 Introduction 00:55 #10 Bruno Mars (2017) 02:40 #9 Patti LaBelle (1985) 04:25 #8 Gladys Knight & the Pips 06:10 #7 Diana Ross (1985) 07:50 #6 Marvin Gaye 09:35 #5 Sarah Vaughan (1942) 11:25 #4 Otis Redding 13:15 #3 Aretha Franklin: "She's Home" 15:05 #2 Smokey Robinson & George Michael (1985) 17:05 #1 James Brown: Live at the Apollo (1962) 19:30 The Apollo's Legacy 🔔 Subscribe to RnB Nocturne for documentaries on Motown, soul, and the untold stories behind R&B's greatest moments. #apollotheater #rnbhistory #musichistory #LiveAtTheApollo #Motown #BlackMusicHistory #MusicDocumentary #ApolloAmateurNight #ArethaFranklin #SarahVaughan #MarvinGaye #RnBNocturne #HarlemHistory