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May 6th in African American History – Otis Blackwell

By on May 6, 2011 in African American History, May, Music

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May 6, 2002 Otis Blackwell, singer, pianist, and songwriter, died. Blackwell was born February 16, 1932 in Brooklyn, New York and learned to play the piano as a child. In 1952, Blackwell won a talent contest at the Apollo Theater, but his real love was songwriting. In 1956, he had his first success, composing “Fever,” […]

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Marian Anderson

Marian Anderson – April 8th in African American History

By on April 8, 2011 in African American History, April, Civil Rights, Music

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April 8, 1993 Marian Anderson, contralto, died. Anderson was born February 27, 1897 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At the age of six, she began singing at local functions for small change. She got her first big break in 1925 when she won a singing competition sponsored by the New York Philharmonic. In 1939, the Daughters of the […]

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William Christopher “W. C.” Handy

March 28th in African American History – William Christopher “W. C.” Handy

By on March 28, 2011 in African American History, March, Music

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March 28, 1958 William Christopher “W. C.” Handy, blues composer and musician, died. Handy was born November 16, 1873 in Florence, Alabama. At age 23, He became band master of Mahara’s Colored Minstrels and over the next three years toured throughout the United States and Cuba. From 1900 to 1902, he taught music at Alabama […]

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Charles “Bird” Parker, Jr.

March 12th in African American History – Charles “Bird” Parker, Jr.

By on March 12, 2011 in African American History, March, Music

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March 12, 1955 Charles “Bird” Parker, Jr., jazz saxophonist and composer, died. Parker was born August 29, 1920 in Kansas City, Kansas. He began playing the saxophone at age 11 and by 1938 was touring nightclubs and other venues in the southwest. In 1939, he moved to New York City where on November 26, 1945, […]

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William Clarence “Billy” Eckstine

March 8th in African American History – William Clarence “Billy” Eckstine

By on March 8, 2011 in African American History, March, Music

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March 8, 1993 William Clarence “Billy” Eckstine, bandleader and balladeer, died. Eckstine was born July 8, 1914 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and began singing at age seven. In 1939, he joined Earl Hines’ Grand Terrace Orchestra as vocalist and occasional trumpeter. In 1944, Eckstine formed his own band which was the first bop big-band.

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Thelonious Monk

February 17th in African American History – Thelonious Monk

By on February 17, 2011 in African American History, February

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February 17, 1982 Thelonious Monk, jazz pianist and composer, died. Monk was born October 10, 1917 in Rocky Mountain, North Carolina and began playing the piano at the age of six. In the early to mid-1940s, he served as the house pianist at Minton’s Playhouse in Harlem, New York which featured most of the leading […]

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Marion “Little Walter” Jacobs

February 15th in African American History – Marion “Little Walter” Jacobs

By on February 15, 2011 in African American History, February

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February 15, 1968 Marion “Little Walter” Jacobs, blues harmonica player, died. Jacobs was born May 1, 1930 in Marksville, Louisiana. Jacobs moved to Chicago in 1945 and from 1948 to 1952 played in Muddy Walters’ band. His harmonica is featured on most of Walters’ classic recordings from the 1950s.

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