March 17, 1919 Nathaniel Adams “Nat King” Cole, jazz pianist and singer, was born in Montgomery, Alabama. Cole learned to play the organ from his mother and began performing in the 1930s with the King Cole Trio. They signed with Capitol Records in 1943 and revenue from Cole’s recordings accounted for so much of Capitol’s […]
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March 13th in African American History – Roy Owen Haynes
March 13, 1925 Roy Owen Haynes, jazz drummer and bandleader, was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Haynes made his professional debut in 1944 and from 1947 to 1949 worked with saxophonist Lester Young. From 1949 to 1952, Haynes was a member of Charlie Parker’s quintet and from 1953 to 1958 he toured with Sarah Vaughn. In […]
March 11th in African American History – Sonny Terry
March 11, 1986 Sonny Terry, blues musician, died. Terry was born Saunders Terrell on October 24, 1911 in Greensboro, North Carolina.
March 9th in African American History – Lloyd Price
March 9, 1933 Lloyd Price, Rock and Roll and R & B singer, was born in Kenner, Louisiana. As a young man, Price had formal musical training on trumpet and piano and sang in the gospel choir.
March 6th in African American History – John Leslie “Wes” Montgomery
March 6, 1923 John Leslie “Wes” Montgomery, jazz guitarist, was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. Montgomery started playing the guitar at the age of 19 and initially recorded with his two brothers as the Montgomery Brothers.
March 6th in African American History – Sylvia Vanderpool Robinson
March 6, 1936 Sylvia Vanderpool Robinson, singer, record producer, and record company executive and the mother of hip-hop, was born in New York City. Robinson began recording in 1950 under the name of Little Sylvia.
March 4th in African American History – Zenzile Miriam Makeba
March 4, 1932 Zenzile Miriam Makeba, singer and civil rights activist, was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. Makeba began her professional singing career in the 1950s with the Manhattan Brothers before she formed her own group, The Skylarks, singing a blend of jazz and traditional South African melodies.