Birthday Celebrations — August 27

Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on August 27 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history.

Lester Young

Full name: Lester Willis Young

Born August 27, 1909 — died March 15, 1959

Jazz tenor saxophonist, composer, and one of the most influential soloists in American music.

Known as “Pres,” Young transformed tenor saxophone with a light tone, relaxed rhythm, melodic invention, and deeply personal phrasing. His work with Count Basie and Billie Holiday shaped cool jazz and influenced generations of instrumentalists and singers.

Alice Coltrane

Birth name: Alice McLeod

Born August 27, 1937 — died January 12, 2007

Jazz pianist, harpist, composer, bandleader, and spiritual teacher.

Coltrane created visionary music that joined jazz improvisation with harp, orchestration, Indian classical traditions, gospel, and spiritual practice. Her work expanded the sound and purpose of modern Black music while establishing her own legacy beyond John Coltrane.

Cesária Évora

Born August 27, 1941 — died December 17, 2011

Cape Verdean singer and international ambassador of morna music.

Known as the “Barefoot Diva,” Évora carried the longing, history, and island rhythms of Cape Verde to global audiences. Her unadorned voice and late-life rise made her one of the most celebrated African singers in world music.

Yolanda Adams

Born August 27, 1961

Gospel singer, songwriter, producer, author, radio host, and Grammy Award winner.

Adams joined church-rooted vocal power with contemporary R&B production to bring gospel music to a broad audience. Songs including “Open My Heart” and “The Battle Is the Lord’s” made her one of modern gospel’s most influential voices.

Chandra Wilson

Born August 27, 1969

Actress, director, singer, and Emmy-nominated television performer.

Wilson became a television institution as Dr. Miranda Bailey on Grey’s Anatomy, portraying a brilliant, demanding, compassionate Black woman physician over decades. She also expanded her influence by directing numerous episodes of major television series.

Mase

Birth name: Mason Durell Betha

Born August 27, 1975

Rapper, songwriter, minister, and defining voice of Bad Boy Records’ late-1990s era.

Mase’s relaxed delivery and effortless charisma powered hits including “Feel So Good” and major collaborations with The Notorious B.I.G. and Puff Daddy. Harlem World became a landmark of glossy New York crossover rap.

RonReaco Lee

Born August 27, 1976

Actor and longtime television and film performer.

Lee became familiar to Black audiences through Sister, Sister, Let’s Stay Together, Survivor’s Remorse, and numerous films and series. His career spans child acting, sitcom comedy, family drama, and mature ensemble storytelling.

Demetria McKinney

Born August 27, 1979

Actress, singer, songwriter, and stage and television performer.

McKinney became widely known through Tyler Perry’s House of Payne before expanding into dramatic television, stage work, and R&B recording. Her career reflects the pipeline from Black theater and sitcoms to broader television visibility.

Mario

Full name: Mario Dewar Barrett

Born August 27, 1986

R&B singer, songwriter, actor, and dancer.

Mario became a teenage R&B star and reached a career-defining moment with “Let Me Love You,” one of the biggest soul-pop recordings of the 2000s. His vocal ability and longevity have kept him connected to contemporary R&B across generations.

Rod Wave

Birth name: Rodarius Marcell Green

Born August 27, 1999

Rapper, singer, songwriter, and leading voice in melodic Southern hip-hop.

Rod Wave built a massive audience through emotionally direct songs about grief, poverty, family, loyalty, and survival. His gospel-rooted singing and rap storytelling helped make pain music a central current in contemporary hip-hop.