Angie Stone

As lead singer for Vertical Hold -- the early birds who were among the first to capture the neo-soul worm -- Angie Stone got in on the ground floor of a quickly rising movement slanted toward a return to the warm and sultry roots of R&B. On her own, she's ventured further into the realm of classic soul, covering influential artists such as Marvin Gaye while offering fresh new takes on old funk and R&B borrowings.