Birthday Celebrations — June 13

Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on June 13 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history.

Bobby Freeman

Born June 13, 1940 — Died January 23, 2017

Title: R&B, soul, and rock-and-roll singer-songwriter

Bobby Freeman was a Bay Area singer and songwriter whose music connected early rock-and-roll, R&B, soul, and dance records. His song “Do You Want to Dance” became a pop standard covered by artists across generations, while “C’mon and Swim” gave him another major hit in the 1960s.

Denise Pearson

Born June 13, 1968

Title: Singer-songwriter and lead vocalist of Five Star

Denise Pearson, sometimes credited as Deniece Pearson, is a British singer-songwriter best known as the lead vocalist of the family group Five Star. The group brought a polished 1980s pop, R&B, and dance sound to British music and became one of the most successful Black British family acts of that era.

Raz-B

Born June 13, 1985

Title: Singer, actor, and founding member of B2K

Raz-B, born De’Mario Thornton, helped define early-2000s teen R&B as a founding member of B2K. The group’s music, videos, tours, and film work made them one of the major Black boy bands of that era, especially for younger audiences raised on BET, MTV, and urban pop culture.