The Soul Train Awards return for the first time since 2023, and they’re about to hand out a major honor to one of the industry’s greatest titans (in a small package).
Chaka Khan will receive the Classic Soul Honor at the Soul Train Awards 2026, recognizing a career defined by vocal brilliance, artistic innovation, and decades of excellence that have helped shape the sound and soul of R&B, according to a statement.
This newly created award, which will make its debut at the awards’ November broadcast, celebrates a legacy artist whose influence and decades of excellence have shaped the sound and soul of R&B, mirroring Soul Train’s longstanding commitment to honoring artists, innovators and cultural architects whose contributions have left an indelible mark on music and popular culture.
Chaka Khan, who’s barely slowed a beat over her six-decade career, released her latest album, CHAKZILLA, this past September, featuring collaborations with Sia, Snoop Dogg, Lenny Kravitz, and songwriter and producer Greg Kurstin.
Her career spans decades, with hits like “Tell Me Something Good,” “Sweet Thing,” “Ain’t Nobody,” “I’m Every Woman,” and “I Feel for You.”
With 11 Grammy Awards, Chaka Khan was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2023 with the Musical Excellence Award. She received the Recording Academy’s Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2026. The jukebox musical I’m Every Woman, based on her life, premiered on March 20 at the Hackney Empire in London.
Louis Carr, President of BET and Connie Orlando, EVP of specials, music programming and music strategy for BET, both praised Chaka Khan’s enduring artistry and longevity in the music business. “She has continually expanded the possibilities of R&B and soul while inspiring generations of artists to find and own their voices,” stated Carr.
Visionary Don Cornelius created Soul Train, one of the longest-running, first-run, nationally syndicated TV programs in history, which began airing in 1971. A mix of performances, music, and dance, it primarily featured R&B, pop, soul, and hip-hop artists, along with occasional funk, jazz, disco, and gospel artists. Chaka Khan first appeared with the band Rufus in 1974, performing hits like “Tell Me Something Good” and returned multiple times through 1992.
In 2016, BET acquired the “Soul Train” brand and continued the ceremonies until 2023, taking a three-year hiatus before announcing its return for 2026. The awards ceremony, which is being produced by Jesse Collins Entertainment and BET, has been reimagined for the digital and streaming landscape.
The live taping will take place on November 5 at the Harris Theater in Chicago, and air on November 27.