Composer, baritone, pianist, lyricist, and actor John Legend was born John Roger Stephens on December 28, 1978, in Springfield, Ohio, to Ronald Lamar Stephens, a percussionist, and handcrafter and Phyllis Elaine Lloyd, a seamstress and Choir Director. He was surrounded by music at home and … Read MoreJohn Legend/John Roger Stephens (1978- )
In the following article, Russian DJ Ivan Tchijevsky describes exclusively for BlackPast.org the long history of black music and black musical performers in Russia. Writing from a musical festival in Odessa, Ukraine in June 2019, he outlines his views below. As I visit festivals of … Read MoreThe Afro-Beat in Russia: The Influence of Black Music on Russian Popular Culture, 1890-2002
Tyrone Davis was an American R&B performer, popular especially as part of the soul music scene of the 1970s. Davis was born on May 4, 1938 in Greenville, Mississippi. His parents, Willie Branch and Ora Lee Jones, were both sharecroppers, but eventually chose to leave … Read MoreTyrone Davis (1938-2005)
The Drifters were formed in 1953 to serve as backing for Clyde McPhatter. Over 65 years and several eras of Drifters, there have been 60 different vocalists including several splinter groups called the Drifters. The “original” group consisted of Clyde McPhatter, Gerhart Thrasher, Andrew Thrasher, … Read MoreThe Drifters (1953- )
Sade is an internationally renowned, multi-Grammy award winning singer who is known for her smooth, melodic vocals and the seamless incorporation of different styles of music. Helen Folasade Adu, professionally known as Sade, was born in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria on January 16, 1959. Her … Read MoreSade (1959- )
Erykah Badu is an award-winning singer and songwriter who has been hailed as one of the most gifted rhythm and blues singers of the current era and has earned her title as the Queen of neo-soul; a mix of modern soul and R&B with influences from hip-hop, jazz, pop, African music, … Read MoreErykah Badu (1971- )
Singer, songwriter, and record producer William “Smokey” Robinson was born on February 19, 1940 in Detroit, Michigan. Best known for his association with Motown Records, Robinson served as vice president of the legendary label from 1961 until 1988. During that period Robinson, either with his … Read MoreWilliam “Smokey” Robinson (1940- )
