I was sorry to read this morning that Bobby McFerrin's father died last Friday of a heart attack at the age of 85. In case you don't know, Robert McFerrin, Sr. was a pioneering opera singer. He was the first black man to sing solo at the Metropolitan Opera. His appearance at the Met in 1955 in "Aida" came just three weeks after Marian Anderson made her historic debut as the first African-American to sing a major role at the Met. HIs obituary is in today's Pioneer Press.
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