She worked as a maid in a traveling theatrical company, and then, in 1917, the twenty-six-year-old lied about her age to gain admission to the Morgan Academy, graduating from the high school the following year. (“Humanist Profile”) “During her years in school, Zora Hurston was frequently in debt through she worked all sorts of jobs from a manicurist…to a maid for distinguished black families” (I Love Myself When I am Laughing 9). Hurston worked with fellow artists in her time as well including Langston Hughes. “The engaging and gregarious Hurston, together with Langston Hughes and other writers, formed what they called the Niggerati and published the literary magazine, Fire! !, in 1926” (“Humanist Profile”).
Lauryn Hill was born in South Orange, New Jersey, on May 26, 1975. In 1998, Lauryn Hill released her solo debut album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, and became the first woman or hip-hop artist to win five Grammy Awards—for album of the year, best new artist, best female R&B performance, best R&B song ("Doo Wop (That Thing)") and best R&B album. A natural performer, Lauryn Hill was singing at Harlem's Apollo Theater by the age of 13. Soon after, she met Prakazrel "Pras" Michel and his cousin, Wyclef Jean, and the three formed a band focusing on hip-hop, soul and R&B. First called Tranzlator Crew (later becoming the Fugees), the group began performing in area clubs, with Hill singing lead vocals.
Later, he was introduced to dance teacher Lester Horton. Horton had a dance school in Hollywood and his style was more straightforward and what Ailey was looking for. When Ailey saw a school performance of fellow Jefferson High School student and Horton protégé, Carmen de Lavallade, he signed on with Horton. Lester Horton welcomed him to his company as part of the chorus. Soon after, Alvin had choreographed his first formal concert dance, Afternoon Blues, set to music from the Broadway show, On The Town.
MARIAN ANDERSON AS A CONTRALTO SINGER Start of presentation: Hello everyone, I’ll be talking about a well known American contralto singer, one of the best, she is none other than Marian Anderson..Hope u’ve heard about her and if not, im gonna share some important events that happened in her life and of course her singing career. • First of all, let me tell u a bit about the early life of Marian Anderson: she was born on 27th of February 1897 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her father was an ice and coal salesman, and her mother was a former teacher. Anderson’s father died when she was only 12 and five years later on her mother too died of a serious flu, leaving the young Marian to take over the support of her family. • Marian
Sasha Cohen http://people.famouswhy.com/sasha_cohen/ Sasha Cohen was born on October 26, 1984 in Westwood, California. As a small child, Sasha Cohen was involved in many activities such as art, dance, and sports. Sasha Cohen has continued her interest in these activities and has taken up many new ones including ice skating and rock climbing. Biography and Career : At age five, Sasha Cohen began gymnastics and progressed to level 5. At the suggestion of a friend, Sasha Cohen tried ice skating for the first time.
Her first album for the label, Blossom Dearie Sings, was followed by a two-record set entitled My New Celebrity Is You, which contained eight of her own compositions. The album's title song was especially written for her by Johnny Mercer, and is said to be the last piece he wrote before his death in 1976. During the 70s, Dearie performed at Carnegie Hall with former Count Basie blues singer Joe Williams and jazz vocalist Anita O'Day in a show called The Jazz Singers. In 1981 Blossom appeared with Dave Frishberg for three weeks at Michael's Pub in Manhattan. Frishberg, besides being a songwriter, also sang and played the piano, and Dearie frequently performed his songs, such as “Peel Me A Grape”, “I'm Hip” and “My Attorney Bernie”.
Her signing talent was first displayed at the age of 3 when she performed on the show Estudiantinas Estudian . Recognizing the talent of her youngest daughter , her mother Dona Yolanda enrolled the then 6 year old Thalia in ballet lessons at Academia Nellie Happee Topping her musical lessons off at the age of 8 with Piano lessons at Instituto
Taylor Alison Swift born December 13, 1989 is an American Country pop singer-songwriter and actress. At age 11, Swift made her first trip to Nashville, hoping to obtain a record deal by distributing a demo tape of her singing with karaoke songs. She gave a copy to every label in town, but was rejected. After Swift returned to Pennsylvania, she was asked to sing at the Us Open tennis tournament, where her rendition of the national anthem received much attention. When Swift was 15, she rejected RCA records because the company wanted to keep her on an artist development deal .After performing at Nashville's songwriters' venue, The Bluebird Cafe', she
Jo Elizabeth Stafford (November 12, 1917 – July 16, 2008) was an American traditional pop music singer and occasional actress, whose career spanned five decades from the late 1930s to the early 1980s. Admired for the purity of her voice, she originally underwent classical training to become an opera singer before following a career in popular music, and by 1955 had achieved more worldwide record sales than any other female artist. Her 1952 song "You Belong to Me" topped the charts in the United States and United Kingdom, the record becoming the first by a female artist to reach number one on the U.K. Singles Chart. Born in Coalinga, California, Stafford made her first musical appearance at age twelve. While still at high school she joined her two older sisters to form a vocal trio named The Stafford
In 2008, Grande played the role of Charlotte in the musical 13 on Broadway, for which she won a National Youth Theatre Association Award. When she joined the musical, Grande left her high school, North Broward Preparatory School, but continued to be enrolled. The school sent materials to her so she could study with tutors. [12][13] In 2010, she created the original role of Miriam in the reading of the new musical, Cuba Libre, written and produced by Desmond Child. [12] Grande played the character Cat Valentine in the Nickelodeon television show Victorious, which premiered March 2010.