Died On This Date (February 4, 1951) Cecil Gant / Blues Pioneer

Cecil Gant
April 4, 1913 – February 4, 1951

Cecil Gant was a popular American blues pianist and singer during the late ’30s and ’40s.  After serving his country during WWII, Gant was signed to a record deal and recorded a song a self-written song entitled, “I Wonder.”  The year was 1944, and the song reached #1 on what was the R&B charts of the day.  Gant became a very popular concert draw across the country due in part, to the fact that he performed in Army khakis.  He was billed as the “G.I. Sing-sation”  which helped pack the large venues with mixed-race audiences, a rarity at the time.  His form of boogie-woogie piano could have made him an early rock ‘n roll star had he lived long enough to see that era.  On February 4, 1951, Cecil Gant died of a heart attack at the age of 37.

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