Sweet Honey in the Rock

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Sweet Honey in the Rock
Genre(s)	Gospel
Years active	1973 (1973) - Present
Members
Ysaye Maria Barnwell Nitanju Bolade Casel Arnaé Aisha Kahlil Louise Robinson Carol Lynn Maillard Shirley Childress Saxton
Former members
Bernice Johnson Reagon (founder) Mie Dianaruthe Wharton Evelyn Marie Harris Rosie Lee Hooks Ayodele Harrington Ingrid Ellis Tia Juana Starks Patricia Johnson Yasmeen Williams Laura Sharp Tulani Jordan Kinard Helena Coleman Geraldine Hardin Akua Opokuwaa

Sweet Honey in the Rock is an all-woman, African-American a cappella ensemble.

Contents 1 Musical career 1.1 Influences 2 Members 2.1 Current group members 2.2 Previous group members 3 Discography 4 Awards and Nominations 4.1 Nominations 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Musical career

Sweet Honey in the Rock was founded in 1973 by Bernice Johnson Reagon who formed the group out of singers from a vocal workshop she was teaching with the Washington, D.C. Black Repertory Company. Reagon retired from the group in 2004. The name of the group comes from a religious parable from Psalm 81:16 which tells of a land so rich that when rocks were cracked open, honey flowed from them. ^[1]

Sweet Honey in the Rock has received several Grammy Award nominations, including one for their children's album Still the Same Me which received the Silver Award from the National Association of Parenting Publications. They won a Grammy in 1989 in the category of Best Traditional Folk Recording for their version of Leadbelly's "Grey Goose" from the compilation album Folkways: A Vision Shared.

[edit] Influences

Sweet Honey in the Rock has been producing music for more than 30 years. Although the members of the group have changed over time, their music has consistently combined contemporary rhythms and narratives with a musical style rooted in the Gospel music, spirituals and hymns of the African-American church. The ensemble tackles difficult five-part harmonies and composes much of their own music. They have addressed topics including motherhood, spirituality, freedom, civil liberties, domestic violence, and racism.

[edit] Members

Over the years, 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).

[edit] Current group members

• Ysaye Maria Barnwell
• Nitanju Bolade Casel
• Arnaé (on leave during the 2006-07 season)
• Aisha Kahlil
• Louise Robinson (an original ensemble member)
• Carol Lynn Maillard (an original ensemble member)
• Shirley Childress Saxton (sign language interpreter)

[edit] Previous group members

• Bernice Johnson Reagon (founder)
• Mie
• Dianaruthe Wharton
• Evelyn Marie Harris
• Rosie Lee Hooks
• Ayodele Harrington
• Ingrid Ellis
• Tia Juana Starks
• Patricia Johnson
• Yasmeen Williams
• Laura Sharp
• Tulani Jordan Kinard
• Helena Coleman
• Geraldine Hardin
• Akua Opokuwaa

[edit] Discography

[edit] Awards and Nominations

[edit] Nominations

• Grammys 2008 Best Musical Album For Children - Experience...101

[edit] References

1. ^ Frequently asked questions. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.

[edit] External links

• Official homepage
• T.I.R.M. Interview
• Singers.com Profile