Gregory Hines is a legendary American tap dancer who was instrumental in revitalizing the art form in the late 20th century.
Hines, who embarked on a successful career as an actor, singer and choreographer on Broadway and Hollywood, is known for his award-winning performances and roles in Running Scared (1988), Jelly’s Last Jam (1992), Bojangles (2001) and The Red Sneakers (2002).
Who is Gregory Hines? – The biography
Gregory Oliver Hines was born to Alma Iola(Lawless) and Maurice Robert Hines in New York City on February 14, 1946. His father was a dancer, musician, and actor who taught the art of tap dancing at a very young age.
By the age of 2, Hines had already started tap dancing. He started doing it semi-professionally at the age of 5, alongside his brother Maurice Hines, after taking lessons from renowned dancer and choreographer Henry Le Tang. The brothers also took notes from other veterans like Howard Sims and The Nicholas Brothers.
Under the nickname “The Hines Kids”, Gregory and Maurice performed their songs and dance numbers all over the United States, performing in nightclubs and other smaller venues. By the time Gregory Hines was six, he and his brother had the chance to perform at the Apollo Theater in New York City before making their Broadway debut two years later in The Girl in Pink Tights (1954).
At some point in their teenage years, the duo changed their name to ‘The Hines Brothers’ before later changing to ‘Hines, Hines and Dad’ in 1963, after their father joined their band as drummers. Gregory Hines became the band’s lead singer as they began performing on television and added European tour dates to their schedule.
In 1973, following tension between the brothers and declining public interest in their tap act, Hines decided to leave the group and try something else. He then moved to Venice, California, where he formed a rock/jazz band called Severance and served as its vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist.
The group became a band at Honky HoagiesHandy Hangout (4H Club), one of the original music clubs, before releasing their debut album in 1976. A few years later, the band broke up and Hines moved back to New York to resume his dancing career.
In 1978, Hines patched things up with his brother, and they later starred in “Eubie!”, a tribute to the great American pianist Eubie Blake. The production, which was choreographed by Hines’ former teacher Le Tang, reinvented interest in tap dancing and led to Hines starring in Comin’ Uptown (1979) and Sophisticated Ladies (1981) for which he earned a Tony Award nomination.
Around this time, Hines began appearing in television series and films where he proved to be a versatile actor with his various roles. Some of the movies he has appeared in include; History of the world: first part (1981), The Cotton Club (1984), sleepless night (1985) and Robinet (1989).
What is it known for?
Gregory Hines is known for leading and keeping tap dancing alive at the end of the 20th century when he seemed to have died out. He was the main driving force behind the creation of National Tap Day, celebrated in more than 40 US states and eight other countries.
He later became a member of the board of directors of Manhattan Tap, the Jazz Tap Ensemble and the American Tap Foundation. He also influenced the next generation of tap artists including Savion Glover, Dianne Walker, Ted Levy and Jane Goldberg.
When and how did Gregory Hines die?
Gregory Hines who once said his dancing influenced every aspect of his life, including his singing, acting and love, died August 9, 2003 in Los Angeles, California while he was went to the hospital. It was later reported that Hines had been diagnosed with liver cancer more than a year before his death, which he kept secret and told only to his closest friends.
He was buried in St. Volodymyr’s Ukrainian Orthodox Cemetery, Oakville, Ontario, Canada. Canadian bodybuilder Negrita Jayde, to whom he was engaged before his death, is buried alongside him.
