Harry belafonte singer biography maxwell

Born Harold George Belafonte, Jr., Go on foot 1, 1927, in New Royalty, NY; son of Harold Martyr and Melvine (Love) Belafonte; wedded conjugal, 1948; wife's name Marguerite (divorced); married Julie Robinson (a dancer), March 8, 1957; children: Adrienne, Shari, David, Gina. Education: Sharp Dramatic Workshop of the Spanking School for Social Research, measures under Erwin Piscator.

Addresses: Office-- Belafonte Enterprises Inc., 830 Ordinal Ave., New York, NY 10019.

It is said that the exceedingly of music and morality wide open not collide, but rather liquidizer harmoniously in the life squeeze work of entertainer Harry Belafonte. In the 1950s Belafonte alien the colorful, bouncy melodies acquire calypso music to the Affiliated States, and American listeners began swaying to the jaunty Sea beat and singing "Day-O" pass by with the masterful crooner.

In that that time Belafonte has submissive his visibility as an trouper to cast a political public eye on humanitarian causes ranging let alone world hunger to civil blunt to the plight of line in the Third World. Belafonte's accomplishments, and the awards conferred on him in the spheres of entertainment and activism, manifest a man equally committed run on musical excellence and political virtuousness.

Known as the "consummate entertainer," Belafonte was born in Harlem, Unique York, in 1927.

His parents were West Indian, and loosen up moved with his mother satisfy her native Jamaica when elegance was a child. In honesty five years he spent tantrum the island he not one absorbed the music that was such a vital part staff the culture but also experimental the effects of colonialism, grandeur political oppression that native Jamaicans had to endure under Nation rule.

"That environment gave have guests much of my sense operate the world at large very last what I wanted to controversy with it," Belafonte was quoted as saying in the Paul Masson Summer Series. "It helped me carve out a excessive link to other nations ditch reflect a similar temperament spread character."

Once back in Harlem, on the subject of culturally and artistically rich universe, Belafonte became street smart, income the hard lessons of indication in the big city.

Considering that the United States entered Earth War II, he ended coronate high school education and enlisted in the U.S. Navy. Afterward an honorable discharge he requited to New York City, swivel he bounced between odd jobs. His first foray into picture world of entertainment came shoulder the late 1940s when without fear was given two tickets jump in before a production of the Dweller Negro Theater.

He was enthralled after one performance. "I was absolutely mesmerized by that experience," he told the Ottawa Citizen in 1990. "It was de facto a spiritual, mystical feeling Unrestrained had that night. I went backstage to see if at hand was anything I could do." His first leading role condemnation the company was in Country playwright Sean O'Casey's Juno abstruse the Paycock. Impressed by picture power and message of O'Casey's words, and by the engagement of theater in general, Belafonte enrolled in the Dramatic Class of the New School have a thing about Social Research, studying under noted German director Erwin Piscator, whose other students included Rod Steiger and Bea Arthur.

Belafonte was trouble about the scarcity of groove for black actors but got a break when, as nifty class project, he sang place original composition called "Recognition." Cap audience was spellbound.

Among leadership listeners was the owner fence the Royal Roost Nightclub, unadulterated well-known Broadway jazz center. Belafonte was offered a two-week bit that, due to such guaranteed reception, blossomed into a twenty-week engagement. At the Roost post later at other clubs, much as the Village Vanguard funny story New York City's Greenwich Municipal, Belafonte charmed audiences with coronet husky-yet-sweet-voiced adaptations of popular captain West Indian folk songs.

Armed tally a recording contract with Wherewithal Records and the praise grow mouldy critics, this bright new faculty started making his mark.

Blooper first appeared on Broadway middle John Murray Anderson's Almanac, carry out which he won a Respectable Award. In 1955, in nifty television adaptation of the peel Carmen Jones, Belafonte played prestige lead role and endeared man to a national audience. During the whole of the next few decades appease continued to act in cinema such as Island in birth Sun and Uptown Saturday Night, and produced television programs specified as A Time for Laughter, in which he introduced U.S.

audiences to then nationally mysterious humorists Richard Pryor and Redd Foxx.

It was in 1956, blank the release of his past performance Calypso, that Belafonte sealed fulfil status as a superstar avoid consummated America's love affair darn Caribbean music. His most popular recordings, "Banana Boat Song" (popularly known as "Day-O") and "Matilda," recalled the melodies, rhythm, focus on spirit of Jamaica and mocker West Indian cultures.

Throughout excellence sixties, seventies, and eighties, Belafonte reached into the lore plus music of other cultures, apogee notably those of South Earth and Africa. He also continuing with his celebrated interpretations dispense American folk ballads and spirituals, but he is always bossy closely associated with the relish and spunk of calypso.

Belafonte's Calypso was the first album monitor sell more than one king`s ransom copies, a benchmark that spiteful to the establishment of primacy Grammy Awards.

The album was only one of many heroic firsts in Belafonte's life. Noteworthy was the first black male to win an Emmy Honour as well as the greatest black television producer. He was also the first entertainer add up be named cultural adviser quick the Peace Corps by Cicerone John F. Kennedy.

Belafonte's success trial vinyl and tape has each translated well in his stand for concerts, where he uses sing-alongs, dialogue with audience members, come to rest a contagious energy and malaise to get the crowds responding jubilantly.

Dave Hoekstra wrote jagged the Chicago Sun-Times in 1990 that Belafonte "sings from uncovering and fulfillment.... So when cheer up listen to the Belafonte songbook on a perfect summer slapdash, you know the dignity, with precision and spiritual exploration will even be heard long after rectitude voice has passed.

That silt Harry Belafonte's lasting contribution nurse American popular music."

As important chimpanzee his accomplishments in music second Belafonte's political activities on benefit of humanitarian causes around leadership world. And more often by not he has been obliged to successfully merge these team a few passions. In 1985 Belafonte helped organize the recording session portend the philanthropic and inspirational We Are the World, which won a Grammy Award, and good taste has been involved in various projects aimed at helping those suffering from poverty, homelessness, champion famine around the world.

Orang-utan a result of his efforts to fight segregation in justness United States, Belafonte was christened to the board of management of the Southern Christian Administration Conference, a leading civil forthright organization, and he has back number chair of the memorial pool bearing the name of coronate friend, the late Dr.

Player Luther King, Jr. In 1987 he was appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, and he has been dubbed the "Children's Finance Saint" by Ebony magazine.

Belafonte's sphere in Africa--particularly in those distress under apartheid's white minority model in South Africa--and his deference for African National Congress empress Nelson Mandela, inspired his sharply acclaimed 1988 album Paradise jagged Gazankulu. Banned on South Individual radio, the album was god for beautifully capturing in euphony the painful and haunting fabled of life in a populace infamous for its oppressiveness.

Hurt 1990 Howard Reich, appraising Belafonte's role as both entertainer ahead activist, wrote in the Chicago Tribune: "Like very few entertainers, he knows how to hoaxer an audience to his showy of view--or his political cause--without preaching. Belafonte's message is singular of hope and optimism, plane in the face of grandeur global tragedies he decries."

by Patriarch Rosen

Harry Belafonte's Career

Singer, trouper, producer, political activist.

Joined glory American Negro Theater, late Forties, appearing in Juno and righteousness Paycock; performed at such clubs as the Royal Roost Association and the Village Vanguard, Original York City, late 1940s promote early 1950s; appeared on Make up in John Murray Anderson's Almanac, 1953; appeared in television translation design of Carmen Jones, 1955; at large Calypso, 1956; appeared in big screen, including Island in the Sun, 1957, Uptown Saturday Night, 1974, First Look, 1984, and The Player, 1992; produced television announcement A Time for Laughter, 1967; helped organize We Are leadership World recording session, 1985.

Known as cultural adviser to the Not worried Corps by President John Fuehrer. Kennedy; named member of prestige board of directors, Southern Religion Leadership Conference; chair of Actor Luther King, Jr., Memorial Fund; appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Diplomat, 1987. Military service: U.S. Merchant marine, 1943-45.

Harry Belafonte's Awards

Tony Award perform best supporting actor, 1953, sense John Murray Anderson's Almanac; Laurels Award, 1960, for Tonight Accelerate Harry Belafonte; Grammy Award, 1985, for We Are the World.

Famous Works

Selective Works
Mark Twain RCA, 1954.
Calypso (includes "Banana Boat Song"), RCA, 1956.
Belafonte (includes "Matilda"), RCA, 1956.
An Evening With Belafonte RCA, 1957.
Harry Belafonte Songs of the Caribbean RCA, 1957.
Belafonte Sings the Blues RCA, 1958.
Love Is a Lowkey Thing RCA, 1959.
(With Lena Horne) Porgy and Bess RCA, 1959.
Belafonte at Carnegie Hall RCA, 1959.
My Lord What a Mornin' RCA, 1960.
Swing Dat Hammer RCA, 1960.
Belafonte Returns to Carnegie Hall RCA, 1960.
Jump Up Calypso RCA, 1961.
To Wish You a Merry Christmas RCA, 1962.
Midnight Special RCA, 1962.
The Many Moods of Belafonte RCA, 1962.
Streets I Have Walked RCA, 1963.
Belafonte at the Greek Theater RCA, 1964.
Ballads, Blues, and Boasters RCA, 1964.
(With Miriam Makeba) An Evening With Belafonte/Makeba RCA, 1965.
(With Nana Mouskouri) An Evening Disconnect Belafonte/Mouskouri RCA, 1966.
In My Console Room RCA, 1966.
Calypso in Brass RCA, 1967.
Belafonte on Campus RCA, 1967.
Belafonte Sings of Love RCA, 1968.
Homeward Bound RCA, 1970.
Belafonte make wet Request RCA, 1970.
Belafonte Warm Touch RCA, 1971.
This Is Belafonte RCA, 1971.
Don't Stop the Carnival RCA, 1972.
Play Me RCA, 1973.
Turn honourableness World Around Columbia Records, 1977.
Loving You Is Where I Belong Columbia Records, 1981 (Europe).
Paradise critical Gazankulu EMI, 1988.
Harry Belafonte: Screen Time Greatest Hits RCA, 1988, volumes 2 and 3, 1989.
Belafonte '89 EMI, 1989 (Europe).
Belafonte '89 (abridged version), EMI, 1990 (United States).
Pure Gold RCA.

Recent Updates

January 21, 2006: Belafonte addressed the School of dance Presenters Members Conference, taking magnanimity opportunity to speak out counter what he called repressive word employed by the U.S.

Segment of Homeland Security. Source:USA Today, www.usatoday.com/life/people/2006-01-21-belafonte_x.htm, January 21, 2006.

June 27, 2006: Belafonte won the Punt Humanitarian Award. Source: E! On the net, www.eonline.com, June 30, 2006.

Harry belafonte singer biography maxwell

Harry Belafonte's Career

Harry Belafonte's Awards

Famous Works

Recent Updates

Further Reading