William Warfield

Acclaimed throughout the world as one of the great vocal artists of our time, William Warfield was a star in every field open to a singer's art.

Since Warfield's remarkable debut in New York's Town Hall of March 19, 1950, his career flourished unabated in a wide assortment of memorable achievements. Immediately, in 1950 he was invited by the Australian Broadcasting Commission to tour that continent for 35 concerts June through September (their winter season), including solo performances with their five leading symphony orchestras. While that tour was still proceeding, his manager back in New York had signed a contract with MGM for Warfield to play the featured role in the 1951 version of the great Edna Ferber-Jerome Kern musical Show Boat as Joe the Dock Hand, singing "Old Man River."

He was born in West Helena, Arkansas on January 22, 1920, the eldest of five sons. He grew up in Rochester, New York and entered the Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester. There the young singer earned his Bachelor of Arts degree and, after four interim years in military service, returned to Eastman to study for his Masters.

After military service, Warfield was engaged for singing lead in the national touring company of the Broadway hit Call Me Mister.

Through the years, critics commented that William Warfield's superiority as recitalist stemmed from his unusual ability as an actor, which he proved often in singing roles as well as those merely spoken. His most famous role was the title role in George Gershwin's opera Porgy and Bess.

A memorable and important segment of Warfield's professional life was in his performance in 1957 and '59 on NBC-TV's Hallmark Hall of Fame production of Marc Connely's The Green Pastures, in his starring role as "De Lawd."

Numerous honors and awards William Warfield received have included his honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Arkansas in 1972.

At the graduation ceremonies of Lafayette University (Easton, PA) in June 1977, he received another honorary Doctorate for his "Contributions in the Arts." Similar honorary degrees have been awarded Warfield: 1982 from Boston University; 1983 as "Doctor of Human Letters" from Augustana College, Illinois; and in 1984 James Milliken University also in Illinois. For a good many years, the artist dedicated time and devotion to the National Association of Negro Musicians (NANM).

In March 1984 he was the winner of a Grammy in the "Spoken Word" category for his outstanding narration of Aaron Copeland's A Lincoln Portrait accompanied by the Eastman Philharmonic Orchestra.

Since 1975, when he accepted his appointment as Professor of Music at the University on Illinois (Champaign-Urbana Campus), Dr. Warfield was able to devise his schedule for continuing outside concert performances along with master classes at many institutions of learning along with his regular classes at Illinois. He was a professor at Northwestern University since 1994.

Warfield was appointed as Chairman of the Illinois Voice Department. In 1989, he began touring with The Jim Cullum Jazz Band as narrator in the band's concert presentation of Porgy and Bess. In 1996, live presentations of Show Boat and, in 1997, Harlem Rhapsody were added to the JCJB/Warfield touring schedule.

William Warfield died in 2002.

Photo © William Carter