April 22, 1983 Earl Kenneth “Fatha” Hines, jazz pianist, died. Hines was born December 28, 1903 in Duquesne, Pennsylvania. As a youth, he took classical piano lessons and played the organ at the local Baptist church. At the age of 17, he left home to take a job playing in a Pittsburgh nightclub. In 1923, […]
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April 21st in African American History – Nina Simone
April 21, 2003 Nina Simone, singer, songwriter and civil rights activist, died. Simone was born Eunice Kathleen Waymon on February 21, 1933 in Tryon, North Carolina. She began playing the piano at the age of three and made her debut as a classical pianist at 12. In 1958, she released her debut album, “Little Girl […]
April 13th in African American History – Albert Greene
April 13, 1946 Albert Greene (Al Green), gospel and soul singer, was born in Forrest City, Arkansas. Green started performing at the age of 10 and in 1967 recorded his debut album, “Back Up Train.” His breakthrough occurred in 1970 with the release of the album “Al Green Gets Next to You” which contained such […]
April 13th in African American History – Johnnie Clyde Johnson
April 13, 2005 Johnnie Clyde Johnson, blues piano player, died. Johnson was born July 8, 1924 in Fairmont, West Virginia and began playing the piano at the age of four. He joined the United States Marine Corp during World War II and played in the all serviceman jazz orchestra. Johnson moved to St. Louis in […]
Marian Anderson – April 8th in African American History
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 […]
Otis J. Rene – April 5th in African American History
April 5, 1970 Otis J. Rene, songwriter and record producer, died. Rene was born October 2, 1898 in New Orleans, Louisiana. With his younger brother Leon, in the 1930s they founded Exclusive Records and Excelsior Records, becoming the leading producers of recording artists such as Nat King Cole, Johnny Otis, and Joe Liggins and His […]
Sarah Lois Vaughan – April 3rd in African American History
April 3, 1990 Sarah Lois Vaughan, jazz singer known as “The Divine One,” died. Vaughan was born March 27, 1924 in Newark, New Jersey. She began piano lessons at the age of seven and sang in the church choir. By her mid-teens, she was singing in local nightclubs. In 1942, Vaughan sang “Body and Soul” […]