Guest Stars Pauletta Washington as Rachel Franklin Steven Gregory Norfleet as Cecil Franklin Marque Richardson II as King Curtis Keith Arthur Bolden as Recording Studio Man Amanda Warren as Melba Parks Robert Glasper as Art Tatum Stacey Sargeant as Dinah Washington Co Starring Aubriana Davis as Young Erma Sydney Hunter as Young Carolyn Tyler Richardson as Edward Drake Strickland as Young Cecil Braelyn Rankins as Clarence Willie Repoley as Tom Dowd Todd Allen Durkin as White Salesman Anthony M. Walker as Reporter #5 Skylar Denney as Reporter #1 Darryl Handy as Church Patron Dorothy Sanders as Parishioner #2 John Crow as Reporter #2 Jermaine Dupri as Rodney Jones Steve Alderfer as Tommy Cogbill Arielle Morgan as Fan #1 Arle Michel as Church Matron Mimi Faust as Reporter #4 Melvin Evans Jr. as Parishioner #3 Tyler Colfer as Jimmy Johnson Ryan Cameron as Pervis Spann Toheeb Akinola as Fan #2 JP Lambert as Spooner Oldham Justin Livingston as Jeff LaKeta Booker as Charlece Adam Rivette as Rob Ryan Anthony Williams as Ken Laxton Daniel James Baldock as Roger Hawkins Brad Hills as Reporter #3 Tierre Turner as Elderly Male Parishioner Challedon "shy" Saltor as Marcia Edloe Blackwell as Parishioner #1 Alex Collins as Rick Hall
