Women Music March 2024 – Day 17 – Sweet Honey in the Rock

They are falling all around me,
the strongest leaves of my tree.
Every paper brings the news
that the teachers of my sound
are moving on.
Death comes and rests so heavy,
your face I’ll never see no more….
But you’re not really going to leave me…
It is your path I walk
It is your song I sing
It is your load I take on
It is your air that I breathe
It’s the record you set
That makes me go on
It’s your strength that helps me stand
You’re not really going to leave me
And I have tried to sing my song right
Be sure to let me hear from you…..

-Bernice Johnson Reagon
SongTalk Publishing Co., BMI

Sweet Honey in the Rock is an all-woman, African-American a cappella ensemble. They are an American three-time Grammy Award–nominated troupe who express their history as black women through song, dance, and sign language. Although the members have changed over five decades, the group continues to sing and perform worldwide.

Over the decades, more than 20 individuals have lent their voices to Sweet Honey in the Rock. Beginning as a quartet, the group is now composed of six African-American women (including a professional American Sign Language interpreter who accompanies the group on concert tours). Current members:
Nitanju Bolade Casel
Aisha Kahlil
Louise Robinson (an original ensemble member)
Carol Lynn Maillard (an original ensemble member)
Barbara Hunt (sign language interpreter)
Rochelle Rice
Christie Dashiell
Romeir Mendez (bassist)

Discography:
27 (albums?)

Filmography:

On June 22, 2010, the group released the song “Are We a Nation?“, their response to Arizona’s controversial immigration law, SB-1070. An official music video of the song was released online on July 2, 2010. Directed by James Lester, the video was shot in New York City at Tainted Blue Recording Studio during a live recording session of the song. Amanda Navarro researched and provided the video’s archival images and Russel Soder was the cinematographer. Ramon Hervey II served as the project’s executive producer. The band donated a portion of the proceeds from the sales of “Are We a Nation?” to the Center for Community Change, an organization founded in 1968 to honor the life of Robert F. Kennedy. Sweet Honey in the Rock also joined The Sound Strike, boycotting performances within Arizona in protest of the law.

Official website: here

For those with Spotify, here is a playlist (or preview for those without Spotify) of their 2016 album.