March 4, 1944 Robert Dwayne “Bobby” Womack, singer, songwriter and musician, was born in Cleveland, Ohio. As a youngster, Womack and his four brothers formed a gospel group called the Womack Brothers and began touring the gospel circuit. In 1962, they were renamed the Valentinos and began to sing secular music. They had hits with […]
Tag Archives | singer
March 2nd in African American History – Hank Ballard
March 2, 2003 Hank Ballard, Rhythm and Blues singer and songwriter, died. Ballard was born John Henry Kendricks on November 18, 1927 in Detroit, Michigan but raised in Bessemer, Alabama. At 15, Ballard moved back to Detroit where he began his singing career. In 1951, he formed a group which eventually became known as the […]
February 27th in African American History – Franklin Joseph “Frankie” Lymon
February 27, 1968 Franklin Joseph “Frankie” Lymon, R&B singer and songwriter, died from a heroin overdose. Lymon was born September 30, 1942 in Harlem, New York. At the age of 12, he began singing in a group that called itself both The Ermines and The Premiers. In 1955, they wrote the song “Why Do Fools […]
February 6th in African American History – Natalie Marie Cole
February 6, 1950 Natalie Marie Cole, singer, songwriter and actress, was born in Los Angeles, California. Cole graduated in 1972 from the University of Massachusetts with a major in Child Psychology and a minor in German. Cole released her first album, “Inseparable,” which contained the hit singles “This Will Be” and the title track in […]
January 30th in African American History – Sam John “Lightnin” Hopkins
January 30, 1982 Sam John “Lightnin” Hopkins, country blues guitarist, singer and songwriter, died. Hopkins was born March 15, 1912 in Centreville, Texas. He developed a deep appreciation of the blues at the age of eight but did not make his first recording until 1946. By 1960, Hopkins had cemented his reputation as one of […]
November 22nd in African American History – Benjamin Sherman “Scatman” Crothers
November 22, 1986 Benjamin Sherman “Scatman” Crothers, actor, singer and musician, died. Crothers was born May 23, 1910 in Terre Haute, Indiana. He started his career as a 15 year old drummer in a speakeasy band and by the 1930s had his own band.
November 17th in African American History – Ruth Brown
November 17, 2006 Ruth Brown, R&B singer and actress, died. Brown was born Ruth Alston Weston on January 30, 1928 in Portsmouth, Virginia. She recorded her first hit, “So Long” in 1949 and from that time to 1955 she was on the R&B charts for 149 weeks with 16 top 10 blues records, including 5 […]