October 1, 1945 Donny Edward Hathaway, R & B singer, was born in Chicago, Illinois. Hathaway began singing in a church choir at the age of three billed as “Donny Pitts, The Nation’s Youngest Gospel Singer”. He also began studying the piano as a child and in 1964 earned a fine arts scholarship to Howard […]
Tag Archives | singer
September 26th in African American History – Betty Carter
September 26, 1998 Betty Carter, jazz singer, died. Carter was born Lillie Mae Jones on May 16, 1929 in Flint, Michigan but grew up in Detroit. She studied piano at the Detroit Conservatory and by the age of 16 was singing with Charlie Parker. In 1958, Carter released her first solo album, “Out There with […]
September 19th in African American History – Benjamin Franklin Peay (Brook Benton)
September 19, 1931 Benjamin Franklin Peay (Brook Benton), singer and songwriter, was born in Lugoff, South Carolina. At the age of 18, Peay moved to New York to pursue his music career. There he changed his name to Brook Benton, at the suggestion of his record label, and earned a good living writing songs for […]
September 18th in African American History – James Marshall “Jimi” Hendrix
September 18, 1970 James Marshall “Jimi” Hendrix, guitarist, singer and songwriter, died in London, England. Hendrix was born November 27, 1942 in Seattle, Washington and acquired his first guitar at the age of 15. A self-taught musician, Hendrix moved to New York in 1964 and played with several backing bands for soul, R&B, and blues […]
September 16th in African American History – Riley “B. B.” King
September 16, 1925 Riley “B. B.” King, blues guitarist and singer/songwriter, was born in Itta Bena, Mississippi. In 1948, King moved to Memphis and worked as a singer and disc jockey at the local R&B radio station. King began recording in 1949 and by the 1950s had become one of the most important names in […]
September 13th in African American History – Nell Ruth Hardy (Nell Carter)
September 13, 1948 Nell Ruth Hardy (Nell Carter), singer and film, stage and television actress, was born in Birmingham, Alabama. Carter broke into stardom with her stage performance in “Ain’t Misbehavin’”, for which she won the 1978 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. She also won a 1982 Emmy Award for Outstanding […]
September 12th in African American History – Barrence Eugene Carter (Barry White)
September 12, 1944 Barrence Eugene Carter (Barry White), singer, songwriter and record producer, was born in Galveston, Texas. He began his musical career in the early 1960s in singing groups before going out on his own in the mid-1960s. He got his big break, producing a female group he had discovered called Love Unlimited. Their […]