The 1987 Soul Train Music Awards
The 1987 Soul Train Music Awards were held on March 28, 1987, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California. The show was hosted by Patti LaBelle and featured performances by Whitney Houston, Lionel Richie, and Aretha Franklin.
Introduction
The 1987 Soul Train Music Awards was held on March 7, 1987, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California. The show was hosted by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Smokey Robinson and Berry Gordy. It honored the best in Black music and entertainment for the year 1986. The nominees were announced on February 4, 1987.
The show featured performances by Aretha Franklin, Patti LaBelle, Luther Vandross, Dionne Warwick, Whitney Houston, Debbie Gibson, the Four Tops, the Temptations, and Bobby Brown. Smokey Robinson and the Miracles were presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Berry Gordy closed the show with a speech honoring Michael Jackson, who had died two weeks earlier.
The Awards Show
The 1987 Soul Train Music Awards was held on March 7, 1987, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California. The awards show was created to celebrate African-American music and culture.
Performances
The musical performances were the most electric and lively moments of the show. The opening number was a collective performance by all the artists nominated in the category of Best R&B/Soul or Rap Album of the Year. The performance began with a telling of Alice in Wonderland, but quickly transitioned into a doo-wopified version of Chaka Khan’s “Ain’t Nobody.” Some viewers criticized the choppiness of the number, but others praised its ability to bring together so many different artists on one stage.
Other memorable performances included Janet Jackson’s rousing rendition of “What Have You Done for Me Lately,” Luther Vandross’ ballad “Here and Now,” Whitney Houston’s show-stopping medley of “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” and “Didn’t We Almost Have It All,” and Billy Ocean’s soulful performance of “Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car.” George Michael closed out the show with a high-energy performance of his hit song “Faith.”
Awards
The 1987 Soul Train Music Awards was held on March 7, 1987, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California. The show was hosted by comedian Arsenio Hall. Musical performances included James Brown, Whitney Houston, Smokey Robinson, and Aretha Franklin.
Awards were given in the following categories:
-Best R&B/Soul Single – Male
-Best R&B/Soul Single – Female
-Best R&B/Soul Album – Male
-Best R&B/Soul Album – Female
-Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist
-Best Gospel Album
Additionally, the Herb Alpert Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Entertainment Field was presented to James Brown and Aretha Franklin received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Aftermath
The 1987 Soul Train Music Awards was a historic event. Held in Pasadena, California on March 8, 1987, the awards show was the first ever to be nationally televised. Michael Jackson was the big winner of the night, taking home eight awards, including Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist. The awards show was a huge success, but the after party is what people are still talking about today.
Reception
The 1987 Soul Train Music Awards were held on March 7, 1987, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California. The show was hosted by Whitney Houston and featured performances by Luther Vandross, Aretha Franklin, Patti LaBelle, the Winans, and others. The awards were broadcast on syndicated television.
The show was well-received by critics and viewers alike. The Los Angeles Times called it “a first-class production”, while the Chicago Tribune praised Houston’s hosting skills and called the show “an unqualified success”.
Legacy
The 1987 Soul Train Music Awards is remembered as one of the most controversial moments in award show history. Many believe that the Awards were rigged in favor of Janet Jackson, who won a record eight trophies that night, including Best R&B/Soul Album for her third album Control.
This event caused a major rift between Whitney Houston and Jermaine Jackson, who were both nominated for the same award. Jermaine ended up losing to Janet, and he was so upset that he stormed off the stage. This moment was captured on live television and has become one of the most iconic moments in award show history.
In the years since, the 1987 Soul Train Music Awards has been looked back on as a watershed moment for both the music industry and black culture. It was a rare instance where black artists were given mainstream recognition, and it paved the way for future black artists to achieve success in the music industry.
