Roland Hayes is considered by some music scholars as the first African-American concert performer to gain international fame. While that claim has been furiously disputed what we know is that Hayes willed himself to the artist he became by way of hard work and study.
Hayes was born June 3, 1887 in Curryville, Ga. to parents who were former slaves. After the passing of his father when he was a boy, the mother took the family to Chattanooga, Tenn. where Hayes was primarily raised. Singing in local churches and on the streets for money, Hayes attracted the attention of a music teacher.
The lessons ended when Hayes stopped attending school to help support his poor family. He eventually entered Fisk University as a preparatory student as he had the equivalent of a sixth-grade education. However, Hayes worked diligently to get through his classes and studied music along the way. His singing ability landed him a spot with the Fisk Jubilee Singers and he got his first taste of the stage.
