Pop Superstars Break Through Thanks to Apollo Exposure

The performers they saw on stage follow in a long line of pop superstars who got their big breaks with the storied competition. And David Reese, winner of Friday night's show, will go on to perform on the same Harlem stage that first brought living legends into the limelight.

With members sporting titles like "The Godfather of Soul" and "The King of Pop," the list of Amateur Night alumni reads like music royalty.

James Brown
Many distinctive titles belong to James Brown. "Soul Brother Number 1," "Mr. Dynamite" and "The Hardest-Working Man in Showbiz" has a fiery talent that inspires many monikers.

"Apollo Sensation" is not one of the most well-known.

But while Brown's performance on Amateur Night did not lead immediately to success in the music business, it was his return show at the theater in 1963 that catapulted him to heights never before reached by an R&B artist.

The live recording of that performance captured the raw intensity and passion Brown practically made his signature.

The album reached No. 2 on the pop charts, and for the next several years Brown released one classic single after another. Tracks like "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" and "I Got You (I Feel Good)" continue to be instantly recognizable pop staples.

The Jackson Five
The sibling vocal group already had racked up several talent show victories by the time it stepped to the Apollo stage for a 1967 Amateur Night. But it was its triumph in that competition which caught the ears of recording star Gladys Knight.

Knight's recommendation to Motown owner Berry Gordy, coupled with an ever-mounting positive buzz, helped sign the group to the powerhouse label. The Jackson Five's career took off quickly after that.

Only a boy at the time, front-brother Michael would go on to become one of the most successful recording artists of all time. Like his brothers, Michael's career would slowly fade, but his offstage antics still are unable to tarnish the pure pop harmonies of his first music venture.

Luther Vandross
UNC acts that had a rough Friday night can sympathize with R&B crooner Vandross. Dolly said Vandross was booed off the Amateur Night stage three times before eventually winning the title.

His recording career required the same resiliency.

After languishing for years as a session vocalist, Vandross finally got a solo record deal in 1981 and released a slew of only moderately successful albums during the '80s. It was not until the 1989 release of his greatest hits record that he broke through to top of the charts status.

Lauryn Hill
If ever there was an artist to follow up the slew of legendary Apollo performers, Lauryn Hill fits the bill.

Beginning her career and performing on Amateur Night as only a teenager, Hill layered her music with traces of jazz, hip hop, reggae and old-school R&B. What could have been a volatile mix was transformed into an easily digestible pop brew thanks to Hill's honey-soaked vocals and visionary lyrics.

With her hip-hop group the Fugees, and especially as a solo artist, Hill has successfully crafted the musical legacies of past Apollo performers into an ever-growing legend all her own.

The Arts & Entertainment Editor can be reached at artsdesk@unc.edu.