May 8, 1911 Robert Leroy Johnson, Delta blues musician, was born in Hazelhurst, Mississippi. At a very young age, Johnson began traveling up and down the Delta as an itinerant musician. His landmark recordings from 1936 and 1937 display a remarkable combination of singing, guitar skills, and songwriting talent that have influenced generations of musicians.
Tag Archives | singer
May 7th in African American History – Thelma Jackson Houston
May 7, 1946 Thelma Jackson Houston, singer, actress, and songwriter, was born in Leland, Mississippi. In 1969 Houston released her debut album, “Sunshower,” and in 1971 she signed with Motown Records. Houston’s first successful single was “You’ve Been Doing Wrong for So Long” (1974) which earned her a Grammy nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal […]
May 6th in African American History – Otis Blackwell
May 6, 2002 Otis Blackwell, singer, pianist, and songwriter, died. Blackwell was born February 16, 1932 in Brooklyn, New York and learned to play the piano as a child. In 1952, Blackwell won a talent contest at the Apollo Theater, but his real love was songwriting. In 1956, he had his first success, composing “Fever,” […]
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 […]
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 […]