People, Locations, Episodes

Ivory Joe Hunter, Lyricist, and Singer born

On this date in 1914, Ivory Joe Hunter was born. He was an African American singer, songwriter, and piano player.

‘Pops’ Staples, Singer, and Composer born

On this date “Pops” Staples, an African American gospel and blues singer, was born in 1914.

Roebuck “Pops” Staples’ was born in Winona, MS, and was introduced to music by singing in the church. At the age of 15, Staples began experimenting with the Blues. Robert Johnson, Bubba White, and “Big Bill” Broonzy were among those who influenced his singing and guitar style.

In 1935, Staples moved to Chicago with his wife Oceola and two children, Pervis and Cleotha. There, the family grew with the addition of Yvonne and Mavis.

Dean Dixon, Orchestral Conductor born

This is the day of Dean Dixon’s birth on this date in 1915. He was an African American orchestral conductor.

Alan Lomax, Ethnomusicologist born

*Alan Lomax was born on this date in 1915. He was a white-American ethnomusicologist, musician, folklorist, and filmmaker. Lomax was born in Austin, Texas, the third of four children born to Bess Brown, folklorist and author John A. Lomax. The elder Lomax, a former professor of English at Texas A&M. Due to childhood asthma, and generally […]

Josh White, Master of Folk/Blues born

*Josh White was born on this date in 1915. He was an influential African American Folk and Blues singer.

From Greenville, S.C. White started singing in churches as a child and left school at an early age to work in South Carolina, North Carolina, Chicago and elsewhere as a guide and accompanist to blind street singers, including Blind John Henry Arnold, Blind Joe Taggart, Blind Blake, Blind Lemmon Jefferson. In 1932 White moved to New York and started making a living as a professional guitarist and singer.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Gospel Singer, and more born

*Sister Rosetta Tharpe was born on this date in 1915. She was an African American singer and one of the first gospel singers to tour Europe.

Her career spanned five decades. Born Rosetta Nubin, in Cotton Plant, Arkansas, her family moved to Chicago when she was five. Her singing debut, with her mother, was before an audience of 1,000 people. The 1920’s and 30’s were years when Sister Rosetta sang the gospel songs of composers such as W.H. Brewster and blues-tinted gospels songs of Thomas A. Dorsey. Rosetta Tharpe was married three times.

Muddy Waters, Blues Musician born

*This date marks the birth of Muddy Waters in 1915. He was an African American musician, singer and cultural icon.

Billie Holiday, Jazz/Blues Singer born

*Billie Holiday was born on this date in 1915. She was an African American vocalist.

Born Eleanora Fagan in Philadelphia, she spent an impoverished childhood in Baltimore before moving to New York City in the late 1920s, when she began singing in Harlem nightclubs. A recording session in 1935 brought her to public attention. Thereafter she was vocalist with various orchestras, including those of Count Basie and Artie Shaw, and made many recordings with the saxophonist Lester Young and with the pianist Teddy Wilson.

Violet Burnside, Musician born

*Violet “Vi” Burnside was born on this date in 1915. She was a Black jazz saxophonist and bandleader. Viola May Kendrick Burnside was from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Burnside worked for much of her career in all-girl bands. She worked in Bill Baldwin’s group in the mid-1930s, joined the Dixie Rhythm Girls in 1937, then joined the […]

Johnny Shines, Blues Musician born

*Johnny Shines was born on this date in 1915. He was an African American blues musician.

HoneyBoy Edwards, Delta Musician born

*David “Honeyboy” Edwards was born on this date in 1915. He was an African American blues musician.

Willie Dixon, Blues Legend born

Willie Dixon was born on this date in 1915. He was an African American blues musician who influenced the emergence of an eclectic blues and rock and roll. He was the behind-the-scenes creator of blues classics, notably “I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man,” which was interpreted by such recording stars as Jimi Hendrix, the Allman Brothers, and Muddy Waters.

Paul Hucklebuck Williams, Musician born

*Paul Williams was born on this date in 1915. He was an African American musician.

Floyd McDaniel, Blues Musician born

On this date in 1915, Floyd McDaniel, an African American blues singer and musician, was born.

Albert Hibbler, Singer born

*Albert George Hibbler was born on this date 1915. He was an African American jazz singer.