Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame opens honoring James Brown, The Deele and more

CINCINNATI (WXIX) -The long-awaited Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame officially opened to the public Saturday, unveiling years of work honoring the rich music history the city has to offer.

It is a one-of-a-kind family tourism attraction that utilizes interactive technology to allow visitors to sing along to some of their favorite songs from legendary performers who made an impact in the city.

Several notable musicians who made an impact in the Queen City were inducted into the Black Music Walk of Fame Saturday. They include:

• The Deele (LA Reid, Babyface, Carlos Greene, Kevin Robertson, and Darnell Bristol)
• James Brown
• Philippé Wynne
• Louise Shropshire

“This is a concept, an idea that came from the community, and I brought it forward, but we said—bring me Disney World, bring me interactive, bring me something that grandma and the grandkids can enjoy,” Black Music Walk of Fame Founder and President of the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners Alicia Reece said.

Reece says this attraction serves as a way to highlight musical legends and inspire the next generation of musicians.

The immersive experience will allow audiences to perform with Bootsy Collins and Penny Ford, Reece said.

Reece says the attraction will bring in people from all over the country to experience and discover Cincinnati’s legacy in Black music.

“Make no mistake about it, this is a tourism attraction, to attract people from all over the country to learn about the legacy of Black music and black musicians and what they contributed who have come right from here, so this is definitely ‘edutainment’ its tourism, and we’re looking to bring a lot of people in town, a lot of people from all over the county to experience it.”

The Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame is located in front of the Andrew J. Brady Center. Admission is free.

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