January 2, 1977 Erroll Louis Garner, jazz pianist and composer, died. Garner was born June 15, 1921 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He began playing the piano at the age of three and at the age of seven was appearing on the radio with a group called the Candy Kids. By the age of 11, he was […]
Archive | Music RSS feed for this section
December 31st in African American History – Odetta Holmes
December 31, 1930 Odetta Holmes, singer, actress, songwriter, and human rights activist, was born in Birmingham, Alabama. Odetta’s first professional experience was in musical theater in 1944 and in 1949 she joined the “Finian’s Rainbow” touring company. She began her solo career in 1956 with “Odetta Sings Ballads and Blues” and followed with “At the […]
December 29th in African American History – Frederick Dewayne “Freddie” Hubbard
December 29, 2008 Frederick Dewayne “Freddie” Hubbard, jazz trumpeter, died. Hubbard was born April 7, 1938 in Indianapolis, Indiana. He began playing the trumpet in his school band at the Jordan Conservatory. In 1958, he moved to New York City and began playing with some of the best jazz players of the era. In 1960, […]
December 28th in African American History – Billy Taylor
December 28, 2010 Billy Taylor, jazz pianist, composer, and educator, died. Taylor was born July 24, 1921 in Greenville, North Carolina but raised in Washington D.C. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in music from Virginia State College in 1942 and later earned a master’s and Ph.D. in music education from the University of […]
December 26th in African American History – Curtis Lee Mayfield
December 26, 1999 Curtis Lee Mayfield, singer, songwriter and record producer, died. Mayfield was born June 3, 1942 in Chicago, Illinois. In 1954, Mayfield dropped out of school and joined The Roosters who two years later became The Impressions. When Jerry Butler left the group, Mayfield became the lead singer. The Impressions were successful with […]
December 24th in African American History – Dave Bartholomew
December 24, 1920 Dave Bartholomew, musician, band leader, composer and arranger, was born in Edgard, Louisiana. Bartholomew has been active in many musical genres, but his partnership with Fats Domino produced some of his greatest successes. Together, they wrote and recorded more than 40 hit songs, including “Goin’ Home” (1952), “Ain’t That a Shame” (1855), […]
December 23rd in African American History – Esther Mae Jones Phillips
December 23, 1935 Esther Mae Jones Phillips, R&B vocalist, was born in Galveston, Texas. In 1949, she won the amateur talent contest and began touring as “Little Esther Phillips.” In 1950, she recorded her first hit record, “Double Crossing Blues,” and that was followed by other hits such as “Mistrusting Blues,” “Misery,” and “Wedding Boogie.”