Hayes, Roland

Hayes, Roland, 1887–1976, American tenor, b. Curryville, Ga. The son of a former slave, Hayes studied at Fisk Univ. and with private teachers in Boston and in Europe. As one of the foremost interpreters of modern French songs, German lieder, and spirituals, Hayes was the first African-American singer to achieve enormous international recognition.

See M. Helm, Angel Mo' and Her Son, Roland Hayes (1942).

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

See more Encyclopedia articles on: Music: History, Composers, and Performers: Biographies