Music
70 facts
Duke Ellington Born
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington, one of the most important composers in American music history, was born in Washington, D.C.
Louis Armstrong Born
Louis Armstrong, legendary jazz trumpeter and vocalist who transformed American music, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Marian Anderson Sings at Lincoln Memorial
Marian Anderson performed a legendary concert at the Lincoln Memorial after being denied permission to sing at Constitution Hall.
Miles Davis Born
Miles Davis, trumpeter who transformed jazz music multiple times, was born in Alton, Illinois.
Aretha Franklin Born
Aretha Franklin, the "Queen of Soul," was born in Memphis, Tennessee.
Chuck Berry Born
Chuck Berry, the "Father of Rock and Roll," was born in St. Louis, Missouri.
Bob Marley Born
Reggae legend Bob Marley was born in Nine Mile, Saint Ann Parish, Jamaica.
Marian Anderson Born
Marian Anderson, the groundbreaking contralto who broke racial barriers in classical music, was born in Philadelphia.
Ella Fitzgerald Born
Ella Fitzgerald, the "First Lady of Song" and one of the most influential jazz vocalists in history, was born in Newport News, Virginia.
Billie Holiday Born
Billie Holiday, one of the most influential jazz singers in history, was born Eleanora Fagan in Philadelphia.
Leontyne Price Debuts at the Met
Soprano Leontyne Price made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, becoming one of the first African American prima donnas.
Jimi Hendrix Dies
Jimi Hendrix, widely regarded as the greatest electric guitarist in history, died in London at age 27.
Ray Charles Born
Ray Charles, the "Genius" who pioneered soul music, was born in Albany, Georgia.
Prince Born
Prince Rogers Nelson, pioneering musician and cultural icon, was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
John Coltrane Born
John Coltrane, one of the most influential jazz saxophonists in history, was born in Hamlet, North Carolina.
Sam Cooke Born
Sam Cooke, the "King of Soul" whose music bridged gospel and pop, was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi.
Stevie Wonder Born
Stevie Wonder, musician and songwriter who became one of the most successful artists of the 20th century, was born in Saginaw, Michigan.
Berry Gordy Founds Motown Records
Berry Gordy Jr. founded Motown Records in Detroit, Michigan, creating the most successful Black-owned record label in history.
Dizzy Gillespie Born
Dizzy Gillespie, trumpet virtuoso who pioneered bebop jazz, was born in Cheraw, South Carolina.
Thelonious Monk Born
Thelonious Monk, innovative jazz pianist and composer, was born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina.
Marvin Gaye Born
Marvin Gaye, singer and songwriter whose album "What's Going On" addressed social issues facing Black America, was born in Washington, D.C.
Charlie Parker Born
Charlie Parker, saxophone genius who co-created bebop jazz, was born in Kansas City, Kansas.
Nina Simone Born
Nina Simone, singer, pianist, and civil rights activist known as the "High Priestess of Soul," was born in Tryon, North Carolina.
Robert Johnson Born
Robert Johnson, the legendary Delta blues musician, was born in Hazlehurst, Mississippi.
Muddy Waters Born
Muddy Waters, the "Father of Modern Chicago Blues," was born in Issaquena County, Mississippi.
B.B. King Born
B.B. King, the "King of the Blues" and one of the most influential guitarists in history, was born near Itta Bena, Mississippi.
Mahalia Jackson Born
Mahalia Jackson, the "Queen of Gospel," was born in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Little Richard Born
Little Richard, founding father of rock and roll, was born in Macon, Georgia.
Tina Turner Born
Tina Turner, the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll," was born in Brownsville, Tennessee.
Whitney Houston Born
Whitney Houston, one of the best-selling music artists of all time, was born in Newark, New Jersey.
Berry Gordy Born
Berry Gordy Jr., founder of Motown Records, was born in Detroit, Michigan.
Elizabeth Taylor Challenges AIDS Stigma
Marian Anderson performed at the Metropolitan Opera, becoming the first African American to sing a lead role there.
James Weldon Johnson Writes Lift Every Voice
James Weldon Johnson and his brother J. Rosamond Johnson debuted "Lift Every Voice and Sing" in Jacksonville, Florida.
Sam Cooke Shot and Killed
Sam Cooke, the "King of Soul," was shot and killed in Los Angeles at age 33.
Beyoncé's Lemonade Released
Beyoncé released her visual album "Lemonade," a groundbreaking exploration of Black womanhood, infidelity, and resilience.
Kendrick Lamar Wins Pulitzer Prize for Music
Kendrick Lamar won the Pulitzer Prize for Music for his album "DAMN.," the first non-classical or jazz artist to receive the honor.
James Brown Born
The Godfather of Soul, James Brown, was born in Barnwell, South Carolina.
Otis Redding Dies in Plane Crash
Soul singer Otis Redding died in a plane crash in Wisconsin at age 26.
W.C. Handy Born
W.C. Handy, the "Father of the Blues," was born in Florence, Alabama.
Scott Joplin Born
Scott Joplin, the "King of Ragtime," was born near Texarkana, Texas.
Fisk Jubilee Singers First Performance
The Fisk Jubilee Singers performed for the first time, preserving and popularizing African American spirituals.
Beyoncé Born
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, singer, songwriter, and cultural icon, was born in Houston, Texas.
Cab Calloway Born
Cab Calloway, bandleader, singer, and entertainer known for "Minnie the Moocher," was born in Rochester, New York.
Lena Horne Born
Lena Horne, singer, actress, and civil rights activist, was born in Brooklyn, New York.
Oscar Peterson Born
Oscar Peterson, one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time, was born in Montreal, Canada.
Fats Domino Born
Fats Domino, rock and roll pioneer whose hits included "Blueberry Hill," was born in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Sidney Bechet Born
Sidney Bechet, pioneering jazz clarinetist and soprano saxophonist, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Count Basie Born
Count Basie, bandleader whose orchestra defined the swing era, was born in Red Bank, New Jersey.
Mary Lou Williams Born
Mary Lou Williams, jazz pianist and composer known as the "First Lady of Jazz," was born in Atlanta, Georgia.
Leontyne Price Born
Leontyne Price, legendary soprano and pioneer for Black opera singers, was born in Laurel, Mississippi.
Tupac Shakur Born
Tupac Shakur, one of the most influential hip-hop artists of all time, was born in East Harlem, New York.
Notorious B.I.G. Born
The Notorious B.I.G. (Biggie Smalls), one of the greatest rappers in history, was born in Brooklyn, New York.
Robert Johnson Dies
Robert Johnson, the legendary Delta blues musician, died at age 27 near Greenwood, Mississippi.
Nat King Cole Born
Nat King Cole, singer and television pioneer, was born in Montgomery, Alabama.
Diana Ross Born
Diana Ross, Motown legend and lead singer of The Supremes, was born in Detroit, Michigan.
T-Bone Walker Born
T-Bone Walker, pioneer of the electric blues guitar, was born in Linden, Texas.
Isaac Hayes Born
Isaac Hayes, singer, songwriter, and actor who composed the "Shaft" soundtrack, was born in Covington, Tennessee.
Nipsey Hussle Murdered in Los Angeles
Nipsey Hussle, rapper and community activist, was fatally shot outside his clothing store in South Los Angeles.
Eubie Blake Born
Ragtime and jazz pianist Eubie Blake was born in Baltimore, Maryland.
Selena Born
Selena Quintanilla, the "Queen of Tejano music" who broke barriers for Latino and Black artists, was born in Lake Jackson, Texas.
Shirley Caesar Born
Shirley Caesar, the "First Lady of Gospel Music," was born in Durham, North Carolina.
Mavis Staples Born
Mavis Staples, gospel and soul singer who performed with the Staple Singers, was born in Chicago, Illinois.
Pearl Bailey Born
Pearl Bailey, singer and actress who won a Tony Award for "Hello, Dolly!," was born in Newport News, Virginia.
Erroll Garner Born
Erroll Garner, jazz pianist who composed "Misty," was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Florence Mills Born
Florence Mills, a leading jazz and vaudeville performer of the Harlem Renaissance, was born in Washington, D.C.
Elvis Presley Born
Elvis Presley, who drew heavily from African American blues and gospel traditions, was born in Tupelo, Mississippi.
Hazel Scott Born
Hazel Scott, jazz pianist and the first Black woman to host her own TV show, was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad.
Ethel Waters Born
Ethel Waters, singer and actress who was the second African American nominated for an Academy Award, was born in Chester, Pennsylvania.
Rihanna Headlines Super Bowl Halftime Show
Rihanna performed the Super Bowl LVII halftime show, the most-watched musical performance in history, while pregnant.
Ludwig van Beethoven Born
Historian Margaret Washington studied records suggesting Beethoven may have had African ancestry through his mother's Moorish lineage.