11.   They toured on the Keith-Orpheum circuit, often the first black performers to appear in theaters, and also toured on black circuits.

12.   Elton John says the first performer he idolized was Dusty Springfield.

13.   Kaiser gives a lot of credit to Brian Stokes Mitchell and Christine Baranski, who were the first major performers to sign onto the project.

14.   Singer Celine Dion was the first performer at the new arena, holding a concert Friday night.

15.   The award is named for Marian Anderson, the late opera singer and Philadelphia native who was the first black performer to entertain at the White House.

16.   The award is named after the late opera singer and Philadelphia native who was the first black performer to sing at the White House.

17.   The first performer was Laura Tucker, a mezzo-soprano.

18.   The honor is named after Marian Anderson, the late opera singer and Philadelphia native who was the first black performer to sing at the White House.

19.   There was Charley Pride, who takes credit for being the first black performer in Branson.