On Thursday, new members will be inducted into North Carolina’s Music Hall of Fame in Kannapolis. Two honorees have strong ties to the Charlotte area.
Charlotte’s own Anthony Hamilton is among the seven inductees. Among his many accomplishments, the Grammy award winning R&B singer has performed for the Obama’s in the White House, made an appearance on the hit show Empire, and even opened for Prince.
In an interview with WFAE last year, Hamilton said he remembers his home in west Charlotte near a church where his singing career began.
"The first church was Shiloh Baptist Church. That was the first church I was ever in a choir," Hamilton said. "I was forced to come out and sing a solo."
Hamilton who now lives just outside of Charlotte, stopped by city council last week for another honor. Mayor Jennifer Roberts proclaimed today as Anthony Hamilton Day.
Then there’s Richard Lewis Spencer. Spencer was born and raised in Wadesboro, east of Charlotte. Spencer began his musical career in Otis Redding’s band and was a part of the R&B group The Winston’s. The Winston’s claim to fame is the “Amen Break,” which has been sampled throughout various genres of music.
(July 2017 story on Spencer and the "Amen Break.")
Click here for a full list of the 2017 inductees.
This is the ninth class of inductees. Past inductees include Nina Simone, James Taylor, Tori Amos, and Andy Griffith.
