Roland Hayes sings "Go Down, Moses." 1922

Roland Hayes (1887-1977) was born in Curryville, Georgia, the son of former slaves. He studied singing at Fisk University in Nashville and began performing publicly in 1911. He studied further in Boston and then London. His early career was in Europe, and when he returned to the United States, in 1923, he was able to come under professional management, and undertook an extensive concert tour that gained him both fame and significant income. Here is the stirring "Go Down, Moses," recorded in 1922.

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Category:

Music

Tags:

• Roland
• Hayes
• Go
• Down
• Moses
• Negro
• Spiritual
• opera

[SuperLuckydream]

Have never heard his recordings before. Very beautiful singing. He has a lot of talent. Thank you for posting, dear Edmund!

[EdmundStAustell]

@SuperLuckydream Thank you very much, my friend. Yes, Roland Hayes was very much a gentleman; very elegant in his approach to the music.. He was much admired for both his voice and and the intellectual and stylistically refined handling of the material in concert.

[teearecee]

I lived a few houses away from Roland Hayes from 1958 when I was 6 yrs old til 1972. I remember that he would often stroll up and down the street past my families house all dressed up and he wore a Derby type hat. My brothers and I would always wave and yell hello Mr. Hayes, because my Mom told us who he was, and he would always wave back and say hello.

[EdmundStAustell]

@teearecee  Thank you very much for a fascinating personal recollection. Yes, indeed. He was a fine gentleman, and very, very talented! Thanks again.

[rahsun29]

I am

A decendant of this great man! Miss u great great uncle even tho I never met u!

[EdmundStAustell]

@rahsun29 That is most interesting! Thank you very much for your comment. Yes, he was a brilliant artist, no doubt about it.

[EdmundStAustell]

@fanniterrette Me too. Terrific singer, and an impressive individual. Classy gentleman, all the way around.

[fanniterrette]

I love Roland Hayes. 

[EdmundStAustell]

@stevevandien  Yes, you are right. Lawrence Brown, recorded in 1922.

[stevevandien]

@EdmundStAustell You are correct again, my friend:). Hayes worked especially hard on his interpretations of lieder and melodies. And it paid off; I've read that French and German critics praised his work during his European tour in the 1920s:) --