TAMPA, Fla. - Black performers found soul and sanctuary on the Chitlin Circuit in the Tampa Bay area at a time decades ago when they were limited as far as places where they could perform.

It led to the Tampa Bay area having ties to Ray Charles and many other greats in music, leaving a lasting impression on everyone who visited Central Avenue in Tampa.

What they're saying:

"You could come for this fantastic music by some of the world's most famous musicians when they were young, came here as part of the Chitlin Circuit, a major stop for those entertainers," said Fred Hearns, curator of Black History at the Tampa Bay History Center.

Hearns said some musicians even turned to the community for help with their sets. When pros like Ray Charles and Ella Fitzgerald came to Hearns’ hometow

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