July 26, 1933 Charles Albert Tindley, gospel music composer and Methodist minister, died. Tindley was born July 7, 1851 in Berlin, Maryland. At birth, Tindley’s father was enslaved, but his mother was free, therefore he was considered free. Tindley was primarily self-educated, but he did attend night courses and took correspondence courses as the Boston […]
Tag Archives | songwriter
July 22nd in African American History – Lonette McKee
July 22, 1954 Lonette McKee, singer, songwriter, composer, and actress, was born in Detroit, Michigan. McKee was a child prodigy, writing music, singing, and playing keyboards at the age of seven. At 15, McKee wrote the title song for the film “Quadroon.” McKee began her film career in the movie “Sparkle” (1976). Other films include […]
July 13th in African American History – Gerald Edward Levert
July 13, 1966 Gerald Edward Levert, singer, songwriter, and producer, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania but raised in Cleveland, Ohio. While in high school, Levert formed the group LeVert in 1984. Four of the group’s seven albums, “I Get Her” (1985), “Bloodline” (1986), “The Big Throwdown” (1987), and “Just Coolin’” (1988), went platinum. In 1991, […]
July 6th in African American History – Harvey Fuqua
July 6, 2010 Harvey Fuqua, singer, songwriter, record producer, and executive, died. Fuqua was born July 27, 1929 in Louisville, Kentucky. In 1951, he formed a vocal group called the Crazy Sounds. Later they moved to Cleveland, Ohio and were renamed The Moonglows. The group recorded their first single in 1953 and their 1954 single […]
July 4th in African American History – Barry White
July 4, 2003 Barry White, singer, songwriter, and record producer, died. White was born Barrence Eugene Carter on September 12, 1944 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 […]
July 1st in African American History – Luther Ronzoni Vandross
July 1, 2005 Luther Ronzoni Vandross, R&B singer, songwriter, and producer, died. Vandross was born April 20, 1951 in New York City. He began playing the piano at the age of three and was performing with groups in high school. He attended Western Michigan University for a year before dropping out to pursue a music […]
June 21st in African American History – John Lee Hooker
June 21, 2001 John Lee Hooker, singer, songwriter and blues guitarist, died. Hooker was born August 22, 1917 in Coahoma County near Clarksdale, Mississippi. At the age of 15, Hooker ran away from home and in 1948 landed in Detroit, Michigan, working at the Ford Motor Company and playing in the blues venues and saloons […]