March 27, 1924 Sarah Lois Vaughan, jazz singer known as “The Divine One,” was born in Newark, New Jersey. Vaughan began piano lessons at the age of seven and sang in the church choir. By her mid-teens, she was performing in local nightclubs. In 1942, Vaughan sang “Body and Soul” at the Apollo Amateur Night […]
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March 27th in African American History – Mariah Carey
March 27, 1970 Mariah Carey, singer, songwriter and actress, was born in Long Island, New York. Carey began singing at the age of three and by high school was working as a demo singer for local recording studios. Carey co-wrote the tracks on her 1990 debut album, “Mariah Carey,” which resulted in her winning Grammy […]
March 22nd in African American History – George Benson
March 22, 1943 George Benson, Grammy Award winning jazz guitarist and singer, was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. At the age of eight, Benson was playing guitar in nightclubs and at the age of 10 he recorded his first single, “She Makes Me Mad.” From 1961 to 1965, he played with jazz organist Jack McDuff. In […]
March 22nd in African American History – Stephanie Dorthea Mills
March 22, 1957 Stephanie Dorthea Mills, Grammy Award winning singer and Broadway star, was born in Brooklyn, New York. Mills appeared in her first play at the age of nine and two years later won Amateur Night at the Apollo Theater a record six times. Mills made her Broadway debut in 1968 in the musical […]
March 21st in African American History – John William “Johnny” Bristol
March 21, 2004 John William “Johnny” Bristol, musician, songwriter and record producer, died. Bristol was born February 3, 1939 in Morganton, North Carolina. After serving in the United States Air Force, Bristol recorded several singles before his label was absorbed by Motown Records in the mid-1960s. At Motown, he teamed with Harvey Fuqua to write […]
March 19th in African American History – Mary Cardwell Dawson
March 19, 1962 Mary Cardwell Dawson, musician, teacher and founder of the Negro Opera Company, died. Dawson was born February 14, 1894 in Meridian, North Carolina but raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She graduated from the New England Conservatory with degrees in piano and voice in 1925 and did additional training at the Chicago Musical College. […]
March 18th in African American History – Vanessa Lynn Williams
March 18, 1963 Vanessa Lynn Williams, model, singer, songwriter and actress, was born in Tarrytown, New York. Williams began competing in beauty pageants in the early 1980s and in September, 1983 was crowned Miss America 1984, the first Miss America of African descent. Her short reign was initially marred by the fact that she became […]