Black Music Walk of Fame

Cincinnati OH boasts a rich African American musical heritage, and the Black Music Walk of Fame was established by Hamilton County Board of Commissioners President Alicia Reece to honor and celebrate this heritage. For its grand opening in 2023, she enlisted the help of Metro, Cincinnati's public transit agency, to spread the word using two fully wrapped Metro buses. The wrap, designed by Metro's advertising contractor Adsposure, paid homage to the overall role Black Music has played in Cincinnati's history, as well as honoring the first inductees into this interactive attraction. Premiering on July 22 during the annual Cincinnati Music Festival, the Black Music Walk of Fame buses featured musical luminaries Dr. Charles Fold, Bootsy Collins, The Isley Brothers, Otis Williams (of The Temptations,) Midnight Star, Penny Ford, Hi-Tek, Phillipe Wynn, Louise Shropshire, James Brown, Wilbert Longmire, and The Deele. The likenesses of each artist silhouetted in stark black and white against an eye-catching black and gold background made for a striking impression as the buses traversed the highways and biways of Cincinnati and Hamilton County.