Editing Harry Belafonte (section)

=== Middle career (1959–1970) ===
[[File:Julie Andrews Harry Belafonte 1969.jpg|thumb|With [[Julie Andrews]] on the NBC special ''An Evening with Julie Andrews and Harry Belafonte'' (1969)]]
While primarily known for calypso, Belafonte recorded in many different genres, including [[blues]], [[folk music|folk]], [[gospel music|gospel]], [[show tune]]s, and [[Great American Songbook|American standards]]. His second-most popular hit, which came immediately after "The Banana Boat Song", was the comedic tune "[[Mama Look at Bubu]]", also known as "Mama Look a Boo-Boo", originally recorded by [[Lord Melody]] in 1955,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Boo Boo Man (Mama Look a Boo Boo) by Caribbean Allstars, Lord Melody – Track Info {{!}} AllMusic |website=[[AllMusic]] |url=https://www.allmusic.com/song/boo-boo-man-mama-look-a-boo-boo-mt0047616089 |access-date=April 25, 2023 |language=en}}</ref> in which he sings humorously about misbehaving and disrespectful children. It reached number 11 on the pop chart.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Whitburn |first1=Joel |title=Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 1955–2018. |date=2019 |location=Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin |publisher=Record Research Inc. |isbn=978-0-89820-233-5 |page=72}}</ref>

In 1959, Belafonte starred in ''Tonight With Belafonte'', a nationally televised special that featured [[Odetta]], who sang "[[Waterboy (song)|Water Boy]]" and performed a duet with Belafonte of "[[There's a Hole in My Bucket]]" that hit the national charts in 1961.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.spclarke.com/?page_id=165 |title=Odetta |publisher=WordPress |access-date=December 10, 2013}}</ref> Belafonte was the first Jamaican American to win an [[Emmy]], for ''Revlon Revue: Tonight with Belafonte'' (1959).<ref name="emmys.com"/> Two live albums, both recorded at [[Carnegie Hall]] in 1959 and 1960, enjoyed critical and commercial success. From his 1959 album, "[[Hava Nagila]]" became part of his regular routine and one of his signature songs.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJqXjvlKa2w |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/zJqXjvlKa2w| archive-date=December 11, 2021 |url-status=live|title=Video – What does Hava Nagila mean? |year=2011 |last=Grossman |first=Roberta |author-link=Roberta Grossman |website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> He was one of many entertainers recruited by [[Frank Sinatra]] to perform at the [[United States presidential inaugural balls|inaugural gala]] of President [[John F. Kennedy]] in 1961, which included [[Ella Fitzgerald]] and [[Mahalia Jackson]], among others.<ref>{{Cite web |title=President-elect and Mrs. Kennedy arrive at the Inaugural Gala, January 19, 1961 |url=https://www.jfklibrary.org/asset-viewer/president-elect-and-mrs-kennedy-arrive-at-the-inaugural-gala-january-19-1961 |access-date=April 25, 2023 |website=[[John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum|JFK Library]]}}</ref> Later that year, RCA Victor released another calypso album, ''[[Jump Up Calypso]]'', which went on to become another million seller. During the 1960s he introduced several artists to U.S. audiences, most notably South African singer [[Miriam Makeba]] and Greek singer [[Nana Mouskouri]]. His album ''[[Midnight Special (Harry Belafonte album)|Midnight Special]]'' (1962) included [[Bob Dylan]] as harmonica player.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Harry Belafonte, civil rights activist and trailblazing artist, dead at 96 |url=https://news.yahoo.com/harry-belafonte-civil-rights-activist-135200001.html |access-date=April 25, 2023 |website=Yahoo News |date=April 25, 2023 |language=en-US}}</ref>

As [[the Beatles]] and other stars from Britain began to dominate the U.S. pop charts, Belafonte's commercial success diminished; 1964's ''[[Belafonte at The Greek Theatre]]'' was his last album to appear in ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]''{{'}}s Top 40. His last hit single, "A Strange Song", was released in 1967 and peaked at number 5 on the [[adult contemporary music]] charts. Belafonte received [[Grammy Award]]s for the albums ''[[Swing Dat Hammer]]'' (1960) and ''[[An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba]]'' (1965), the latter of which dealt with the political plight of black [[South Africans]] under [[apartheid]]. He earned six [[Gold Record]]s.<ref>{{cite web |url =https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=belafonte#search_section |title=Gold & Platinum |publisher=RIAA |access-date=December 10, 2013}}</ref>

During the 1960s, Belafonte appeared on TV specials alongside artists such as [[Julie Andrews]], [[Petula Clark]], [[Lena Horne]], and [[Nana Mouskouri]]. In 1967, Belafonte was the first non-classical artist to perform at the [[Saratoga Performing Arts Center]] (SPAC) in Upstate New York,<ref name="sl-12jul2018">{{cite web |last1=Levith |first1=Will |title=5 Most Memorable Music Moments In SPAC History |url=https://saratogaliving.com/5-most-memorable-moments-spac-history-saratoga-springs/ |website=Saratoga Living |access-date=April 25, 2023 |date=July 12, 2018}}</ref> soon to be followed by concerts there by [[the Doors]], [[the 5th Dimension]], [[the Who]], and [[Janis Joplin]].

From February 5 to 9, 1968, Belafonte guest hosted ''[[The Tonight Show]]'' substituting for [[Johnny Carson]].<ref name="npr-8sep2020">{{cite news |last1=Bianculli |first1=David |title='The Sit-In' Revisits A Landmark Week With Harry Belafonte As 'Tonight Show' Host |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/09/08/910650652/the-sit-in-revisits-a-landmark-week-with-harry-belafonte-as-tonight-show-host |access-date=April 25, 2023 |work=[[NPR]] |date=September 8, 2020}}</ref> Among his interview guests were [[Martin Luther King Jr.]] and [[Robert F. Kennedy|Senator Robert F. Kennedy]].<ref name="npr-8sep2020" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thekingcenter.org/archive/document/mlk-appears-tonight-show-harry-belafonte |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105143025/http://www.thekingcenter.org/archive/document/mlk-appears-tonight-show-harry-belafonte |archive-date=2013-11-05 |title=MLK Appears on "Tonight" Show with Harry Belafonte |publisher=The Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change|date=February 2, 1968 |access-date=November 5, 2013}}</ref>