Singer was a trailblazer across multiple sectors

Harry Belafonte has passed away at the age of 96 from congestive heart failure. The groundbreaking musician, actor and activist died on Tuesday (Apr 25th) at his New York City home with his wife Pamela by his side.

Belafonte was a trailblazer who used the arts as a mechanism to effect social change on a global scale. Known as the “King of Calypso,” he released his debut album in 1954 which reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart and paved the way for the musician to become one of the first black producers in television. In 1960, he was the first black artist to win an Emmy for his CBS show, Tonight with Belafonte, and was nominated for four additional Emmys throughout his career.

Belafonte was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022 in the Early Influences category. Bob Marley, Bob Dylan, Bono, the Clash, Marvin Gaye, John Lennon, Rage Against the Machine, Public Enemy all cite the star as having influence on their careers.

Belafonte was born March 1, 1972 in Harlem, but was sent to his mother’s birth country of Jamaica. He returned home to New York City when World War II broke out and later enlisted in the US Navy where he was honorably discharged. He went on to become a huge music star through the 50s and 60s before transitioning to television production.

The star scored six Gold albums in the US with The Midnight Special in 1962 introducing Bob Dylan to audiences. Belafonte earned two Grammy Awards and nine other nominations. Calypso was Belafonte’s signature sound, but he also recorded American standards, blues, show tunes and gospel songs.

His USA for Africa project, developed with manager Ken Kragen, spawned the all-star “We Are The World” single in 1985. President John F. Kennedy appointed Belafonte as a cultural advisor to the Peace Corps. He was also the second American appointed as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and championed for Nelson Mandela’s release in South Africa.

In 2020, NBCUniversal profiled Belafonte’s 1968 weeklong hosting stint on The Tonight Show which featured Aretha Franklin and Dr. Martin Luther King as guests. The feature length documentary features commentary from Belafonte and Whoopi Goldberg, to name a few.

Belafonte is survived by his wife, three daughters, son and numerous grandchildren.