Gregory Hines was born on February 14, 1946, in New York City. He began tap dancing at the age of two and started performing professionally with his older brother, Maurice, as “The Hines Kids” by the time he was five. Their father later joined the act as a drummer, and the trio became known as “Hines, Hines, and Dad.” ?BroadwayWorld

Hines was a pivotal figure in the resurgence of tap dancing during the late 20th century. He made significant contributions to Broadway, earning Tony Award nominations for his performances in “Eubie!” (1979), “Comin’ Uptown” (1980), and “Sophisticated Ladies” (1981). He won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his role in “Jelly’s Last Jam” (1992). ?Encyclopedia

In addition to his stage work, Hines had a successful film career with notable roles in “The Cotton Club” (1984), “White Nights” (1985), and “Tap” (1989), where he starred alongside Sammy Davis Jr. He also appeared in television shows such as “Will & Grace” and voiced the character Big Bill in the animated children’s series “Little Bill.” ?Wikipedia 

Hines was instrumental in promoting and preserving the art of tap dance. He successfully advocated for the creation of National Tap Dance Day in the United States, first celebrated in 1989 and now observed in numerous cities across the country and in other nations. ?

Gregory Hines passed away on August 9, 2003, in Los Angeles, California, due to liver cancer.