Big Bill Broonzy

Big Bill Broonzy was an American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. His career began in the 1920s, when he played country music to mostly African-American audiences. In the 1930s and 1940s, he navigated a change in style to a more urban blues sound popular with working-class black audiences. In the 1950s, a return to his traditional folk-blues roots made him one of the leading figures of the emerging American folk music revival and an international star. His long and varied career marks him as one of the key figures in the development of blues music in the 20th century.

26 June 1903

Born on the same birth day (26 June): Billy Davis Jr. • Candace Pert • Dave Rubin • Fernando Mönckeberg Barros • Gedde Watanabe • Georg Brandt • Jai Taurima • Jürgen Reil • Lord Kelvin • Mark McClellan • Paul Bitok • Peter Claver • Philippe Couillard • Robert Coleman Richardson • Terri Nunn • Yoshiro Nakamatsu • Zainuddin Maidin

Born in the same month (June 1903): Alonzo Church • Anne Revere • Aram Khachaturian • Eddie Acuff • Hans Litten • Lou Gehrig • Marguerite Yourcenar • Mary Callery • Ralph Yarborough • Rose Rand • Yevgeny Mravinsky