People, Locations, Episodes

Quincy Jones, Composer, Musician, and Producer born

*On this date in 1933, Quincy Jones was born. He is a Black musician, composer, producer, and arranger.

James Brown, Soul Singer born

On this date in 1933, James Brown was born. He was an African American singer, producer, and entertainer.

Born in Barnwell, S.C., Brown was raised in poverty 40 miles away in Augusta, GA. As a child, he picked cotton, danced for spare change, and shined shoes. At 16, he was caught for shoplifting, convicted, and landed in reform school for three years. While there he met Bobby Byrd, leader of a gospel group that performed at the prison. After his release, Brown tried his hand at semi-pro boxing and baseball. A career-ending leg injury inspired him to pursue music full time.

Benjamin Matthews, Classic Vocalist, and Opera Administrator.

*Benjamin Matthews was born on this date in 1933. He was a Black classical (bass-baritone) singer and opera administrator. Benjamin Matthews was born in Prichard, Alabama. After moving to Chicago for high school, he enlisted in the Army, where he won second place in an all-Army singing contest. After the military, he joined the Chicago […]

The Apollo Theater Opens

*This date celebrates the opening of The Apollo Theater in 1933.

Sonny Simmons, Musician born

*Sonny Simmons was born on this date in 1933. He was a Black jazz musician.   Huey “Sonny” Simmons was born on Sicily Island, Louisiana. He grew up in Oakland, California, where he began playing the English horn (Simmons and Vinny Golia are among the few musicians to play the instrument in a jazz context). At […]

Wayne Shorter, Jazz Musician born

*Wayne Shorter was born on this date in 1933. He was a Black jazz saxophonist and composer.   Wayne Shorter was born in Newark, New Jersey, and attended Newark Arts High School; he graduated in 1952. He loved music, being encouraged by his father to take up the clarinet as a teenager; his older brother Alan played alto saxophone before switching to the trumpet in […]

Steve McCall, Musician Born.

*Steve McCall was born on this date in 1933. He was a Black jazz drummer. McCall was born in Chicago, Illinois. As a young child, he “experienced a musical epiphany” when he played a drum in Chicago’s annual Bud Billiken Parade. As a teenager, McCall attended Englewood High School in Chicago and studied music theory, Latin percussion, and […]

Lou Rawls, Singer born

Louis Rawls was born on this date in 1933. He was an African American singer, entertainer, and education activist.

Born in Chicago, Louis Allen Rawls was raised on the South Side of the city by his grandmother. He was a member of his Baptist church choir when his was seven. As a teenager, his singing expanded with trips to the Regal Theater to see Billy Eckstine, Arthur Prysock, and Joe Williams. A high school classmate of Sam Cooke, Rawls sang with Cooke in the Teenage Kings of Harmony, a 1950s gospel group.

Manu Dibango, Musician born

*Manu Dibango was born on this date in 1933. He was a Black African musician and songwriter.   Emmanuel “Manu” Dibango was born in Douala, Cameroon. His father, Michel Manfred N’Djoké Dibango, was a civil servant and son of a farmer; he met his wife traveling by pirogue to her residence in Douala. Emmanuel’s mother was […]

Walter Booker, Bassist, and Teacher born

Walter Booker was born on this date in 1933. He was an African American musician, music administrator, and teacher.

Frank Morgan, Saxophonist born

*Frank Morgan was born on this date in 1933. He was an African American musician.

Charlie Pride, Country Music Singer born

*Charley Pride was born on this date in 1934. He was a Black country music singer, musician, and business owner. Charley Frank Pride was born in Sledge, Mississippi, and was one of 11 children of poor sharecroppers; eight boys and three girls were in the family. When Pride was 14, his mother purchased his first […]

The Golden Gate Gospel Quartet, are Formed

*This date celebrates the formation of the Golden Gate Quartet in 1934. They were one of the early Gospel singing groups in Black America.

George Shirley, Classic Vocalist, and Teacher born

George Shirley was born on this date in 1934. He is an African American concert vocalist, teacher, and lecturer.

Shirley Horn, Jazz Vocalist born.

*Shirley Horn was born on this date in 1934. She was a Black jazz singer and pianist. Shirley Valerie Horn was born and raised in Washington, D.C. Encouraged by her grandmother, Horn began piano lessons at four. At age 12, she studied piano and composition at Howard University and later graduated with a degree in classical music. […]