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 | songwriter
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 […]
January 29th in African American History – William James “Willie” Dixon
January 29, 1992 William James “Willie” Dixon, blues vocalist, songwriter, and record producer, died. Dixon was born July 1, 1915 in Vicksburg, Mississippi. As a teenager, he began adapting the poems that he wrote into songs and selling them to local music groups. In 1936, he moved to Chicago and helped form the Five Breezes. […]
November 8th in African American History – Ivory Joe Hunter
November 8, 1974 Ivory Joe Hunter, R&B singer, songwriter and pianist, died. Hunter was born October 10, 1914 in Kirbyville, Texas and was a talented pianist by the age of 13. In the mid-1940s, he wrote and recorded his first song, “Blues at Sunrise,” which became a minor hit.