July 4, 2003 Barry White, singer, songwriter, and record producer, died. White was born Barrence Eugene Carter on September 12, 1944 in Galveston, Texas. He began his musical career in the early 1960s in singing groups before going out on his own in the mid-1960s. He got his big break producing a female group he […]
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July 3rd in African American History – Fontella Bass
July 3, 1940 Fontella Bass, soul singer, was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Bass showed great musical talent at an early age. At the age of five, she was providing piano accompaniment for her grandmother’s singing and by the time she was nine she was accompanying her mother on gospel tours throughout the South. At […]
July 1st in African American History – Luther Ronzoni Vandross
July 1, 2005 Luther Ronzoni Vandross, R&B singer, songwriter, and producer, died. Vandross was born April 20, 1951 in New York City. He began playing the piano at the age of three and was performing with groups in high school. He attended Western Michigan University for a year before dropping out to pursue a music […]
July 1st in African American History – Renaldo “Obie” Benson
July 1, 2005 Renaldo “Obie” Benson, member of the Four Tops, died. Benson was born June 14, 1936 in Detroit, Michigan. In 1954, Benson and three friends formed a singing group called the Four Aims. Two years later, they changed their name to the Four Tops and signed with Motown Records. By the end of […]
Phyllis Linda Hyman – June 30th in African American History
June 30, 1995 Phyllis Linda Hyman, singer and actress, committed suicide. Hyman was born July 6, 1949 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In her early 20s, Hyman moved to New York City and began performing with a number of musical groups. In 1974, she appeared in the movie “Lenny.” In 1976, she appeared on Norman Conner’s album […]
Joe Henderson – June 30th in African American History
June 30, 2001 Joe Henderson, jazz tenor saxophonist, died. Henderson was born April 24, 1937 in Lima, Ohio. He was encouraged to study music at a young age and by 18 was studying at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan and playing on the local jazz scene. After serving in the United States Army from […]
Michael Joseph Jackson – June 25th in African American History
June 25, 2009 Michael Joseph Jackson, the “King of Pop,” died. Jackson was born August 29, 1958 in Gary, Indiana. He made his professional debut in 1964 as a member of the Jackson 5. In 1968, they signed with Motown Records and their first four singles, “I Want You Back” (1969), “ABC” (1970), “The Love […]