First black male soloist at the Met Opera dead at 85

Robert McFerrin Sr., opera singer and father of conductor and vocalist Bobby McFerrin, died of a heart attack Friday, November 24 at Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital in suburban St. Louis. McFerrin was born in Marianna, Arkansas. His Baptist minister father forbade young Robert to sing anything but Gospel music. In 1936, McFerrin moved to St. Louis and was encouraged by a high school music teacher to develop his talent. During the late 1940s and early '50s, McFerrin gained success on Broadway, and performed with the National Negro Opera Company and the New York City Opera Company. In 1953 he won a Met Opera national audition and in 1953 debuted as Amonasro in Aida, three weeks after Marian Anderson became the first black to sing a principal role at the Met. McFerrin also provided the vocals for Sidney Poitier's character in the 1959 movie version of Porgy and Bess. He was 85.

Sources: Associated Press, IMDB, Wikipedia