Johnny Grant was born on May 9, 1923 in Goldsboro, North Carolina; died on January 9, 2008 in Hollywood, California

John Coltrane was born on September 23, 1926 in Hamlet, North Carolina; died on July 17, 1967 in New York City.

Born on November 15, 1932 in Durham, North Carolina; died on June 13, 1972 in Teaneck, New Jersey.

In 1945, when Clyde McPhatter was 12, his family moved from Durham, North Carolina to New York City where they joined Harlem’s 132nd Street Mount Lebanon Church and Clyde sang with the Mount Lebanon’s Singers. When he was 14, McPhatter and his friends, David “Little David” Baughn (tenor), William Anderson (tenor), David Baldwin (baritone,) and James Johnson (bass) with Clyde (lead) [...]

The great Kathryn Elizabeth Smith was born on May 1, 1907 in Washington, D.C.; died on June 17, 1986 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Kate Smith is best known for her rendition of “God Bless America.” She first sang the song on her radio show on November 11, 1938 to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the end of World War I. The song, written by Irving Berlin, had been written for his musical, Yip Yip Yaphank, which was performed during [...]

Wilbert Harrison was born on January 5, 1929 in Charlotte, North Carolina; died on October 26, 1994 in Spencer, North Carolina.

She was born Eunice Kathleen Waymon on February 21, 1933 in Tryon, North Carolina; died on April 21, 2003 in Carry-le-Rouet, France.

Known as “The High Priestess of Soul,” Nina Simone recorded over 40 albums during her career and is known for songs such as “I Put a Spell on You,” “To Be Young, Gifted and Black,” “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood,” “Four Women,” “Sinnerman,” “Mississippi Goddamn,” “My Baby Just Cares for Me” and “I Want a Little Sugar in My [...]

The 5 Royales consisted of Johnny Tanner (lead), Lowman Pauling (songwriter), Clarence Pauling (aka Clarence Paul), Otto Jeffries, William Samuels, Obadiah Carter, Jimmy Moore, Johnny Holmes, Eugene Tanner.

Thelonious Monk was born on October 10, 1917 in Rocky Mount, North Carolina; died on February 17, 1982 in Englewood, New Jersey.