Those who were fortunate enough to be in the building for this one-of-a-kind and once-in-a-lifetime event honoring Aretha Franklin, got more than their money’s worth. Artist after artist took the stage to speak reverently about Franklin and then offer their best rendition of a Franklin classic.

 Get ready for a no-holds barred live experience like no other when Drumline Live returns to Cleveland. Tickets as low as $10 at www.playhousesquare.org

The natural stand out in this amazing rooster of joke peddling master craftsmen is Gary Owen who of course is the only melanin deficient member of the troupe.  Unswayed by this fact Gary nonchalantly explains that this has become the normal climate for his work environment since the very inception of his career when it was easier to perform on a black stage in front of a Black audience.

One of the most popular aspects of Comic-Con is science fiction. Many of the fans who flock to theColumbus event to see iconic actor Billy Dee Williams will do so because of his iconic role as Lando Calrissian in “The Empire Strikes Back” and “The Return of the Jedi.” Williams is one of a select group of African-American actors who have broken color barriers by appearing in science-fiction movies. The following is a look at some of the other Black actors who have also ventured into a galaxy far, far away.

Ledisi is touring in support of her new album, “Pieces of Me.” Born in New Orleans, Ledisi (whose name means “to bring forth”) in Nigerian, has been singing professionally for most of her life. She started at age 8, performing with the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra. Her mother was also a singer who sang in local bands.

Like Diana Ross, Whitney Houston made a successful leap from singing to acting. While Ross earned an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Billie Holiday in 1972’s “Lady Sings the Blues,” Houston starred in one of the most successful love stories of all time, “The Bodyguard,” co-starring Kevin Costner. Reportedly, the script had originally been written for Diana Ross and Ryan O’Neal.

Monae is one of the most unique talents to arrive on the music scene in the past five years. Born Janelle Monae Robinson in Kansas City, Kan., the 25-year-old moved to New York as a teen to study theater at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy.