Dionne Warwick, George Clinton, the Supremes honored by Rhythm & Blues Foundation

Jet, March 17, 2003

Legendary singer Dionne Warwick, the Grandmaster of Funk George Clinton and the `60s girl group, the Supremes, were among those saluted during the Rhythm & Blues Foundation's 13th annual Pioneer Awards ceremony in New York City.

Warwick received the foundation's Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her pioneering career that has spanned 40 years.

Her hits include Walk On By, Alfie, I Say A Little Prayer, I'll Never Love This Way Again and Deja Vu.

Clinton was awarded a Pioneer Award for his long career with such hits as Tear The Roof Off The Sucker and One Nation Under A Groove.

Mary Wilson, one of the original Supremes, along with Diana Ross and Florence Ballard, accepted a Pioneer Award with Ross's daughter, Rhonda, and Ballard's daughters, Nicole and Michelle. The Supremes, the most successful female group of the `60s, had a string of hits, including Stop! In The Name Of Love, Back In My Arms Again, Baby Love and Where Did Our Love Go.

Other song groups honored included the Del Vikings, a founding force behind doo wop with such hits as Come Go With Me and Whispering Bells; and the Dixie Cups, the chart-topping 1960s girl group known for such hits as Chapel of Love and Iko Iko.

Saxophonist Maceo Parker was presented with a Pioneer Award for his work as a sideman with the Godfather of Soul James Brown.

Koko Taylor, the undisputed Queen of the Blues, was a Pioneer Award recipient in recognition of her trailblazing career with such hits as Wang Dang Doodle and I Got What It Takes.

Other Pioneer Award honorees included New Orleans veteran Clarence "Frogman" Henry (Ain't Got No Home and But I Do); and Johnny Nash, a pivotal force behind fusing reggae and R&B (I Can See Clearly Now and Hold Me Tight).

In addition to this year's honorees, the R&B Foundation presented a special recognition award to radio legend Hal Jackson in recognition of his career in broadcasting which spans more than 60 years.

The late Jackie Wilson was remembered with the R&B Foundation's Legacy Tribute. Wilson was one of the first R&B vocalists to enjoy success in the early rock and roll era while still regarded as one of the first great soul singers.

Famed singers Jerry Butler and Bonnie Raitt hosted the awards show.

The Rhythm and Blues Foundation provides recognition, financial support, educational outreach and historic and cultural preservation of rhythm and blues music. The Foundation's Pioneer Awards have recognized more than 150 legendary artists from the 1940s through the `70s, whose lifelong contributions have been instrumental in the development of rhythm and blues music.