HAYES, ROLAND (1889— ), American negro tenor was born in Georgia ; soon after his mother, an ex-slave, moved with her two sons to Chattanooga, Tenn. When 16 years old Hayes was moulder in a stove factory, and singing in a church choir "jus' 'cause he liked to." He chanced to be heard by W. Arthur Calhoun, also a negro, and a music student at Oberlin who after much persuasion induced him to receive musical instruc tion and later to enter Fisk university. As one of the Fisk Jubilee singers he appeared in Boston. Here he remained and entered upon a systematic musical education under the instruction of Arthur Hubbard. His first concert was given Nov. 15, 1917, at Symphony hall, Boston, and soon after he appeared with the Boston Symphony orchestra. In 192o he went to London and sang by royal command at Buckingham palace and afterward at Wigmore hall. In 1923 he gave concerts in Berlin and Vienna. The same year he appeared under Pierne with the Colonne orches tra, winning the praise of Paris where his compelling interpreta tion of negro spirituals, which form a part of all his programmes, came as a strange and wonderful revelation. Since 1920 he has divided his time in annual tours between the United States and Europe and few singers have won wider attention. To a lyric voice of great sweetness, purity and range he adds a scholarly understanding of music. In 1924 he was made Spingarn medallist. A bronze by Renee Vantier presents him while singing the negro spiritual "Steal away to Jesus."