Old school R&B fans came together in Staunton to remember what was.

The leader of the group, Al Leichter, spent 12 years in Brooklyn, New York and fell in love with soul music.

He now instructs a course on "Rhythm and Blues" in the 1940s and 50s. His class features artists like The Flamingos, Marcels and The Bobbettes.

Leichter says it's important for people to learn the heritage of all music to appreciate what we have now.

"I put this stuff on and I don't care how I felt prior to that. I start feeling good," says Leichter.

R&B fan and class attendant Bruce Chase is a music collector who has thousands of records. He even has a special room in which he keeps them.

"I think this is really great, you know, to have someplace to go and meet people that have the same interests. It beats sitting around the house listening to it," says Chase.

The free class is held at the Booker T. Washington community center in Staunton on the third Thursday of every month.