July 11, 1925 Mattiwilda Dobbs, coloratura soprano and one of the first black singers to enjoy a major international career in opera, was born in Atlanta, Georgia. Dobbs began piano lessons at the age of seven and sang in the church choir. She graduated from Spelman College in 1946 with a degree in music and […]
Archive | July 11, 2011
July 11th in African American History – Walter Hawkins
July 11, 2010 Walter Hawkins, gospel music singer, died. Hawkins was born May 18, 1949 in Oakland, California. He began his career as a member of his brother’s chorale, The Edwin Hawkins Singers. They produced “Oh Happy Day” (1967) which was one of the first gospel songs to cross over and become a mainstream hit. […]