Sweet Honey in the Rock

Singer-songwriter, African vocal, traditional folk

Sweet Honey in the Rock is a troupe of innovative women who fuse gospel, pop, folk, and African music together through a capella vocal harmonies. It's not exactly a style of music prevalent on American stages, but fans of other a capella groups like the Manhattan Transfer or pop acts who have utilized it from time to time - Huey Lewis & the News, Bobby McFerrin, and others - might appreciate Sweet Honey. Fans of Ladysmith Black Mambazo or Anjelique Kidjo may appreciate Sweet Honey, and vice versa.

Currently (2012), Sweet Honey in the Rock includes the following members:

• Ysaye Maria Barnwell
• Nitanju Bolade Casel
• Aisha Kahlil
• Louise Robinson
• Carol Lynn Maillard
• Shirley Childress Saxton (sign language interpreter)

However, the following members have participated in the group throughout its tenure:

• 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

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"On Children" (from Breaths)
"This Little Light of Mine" (from Freedom Song - Television soundtrack)
"Wade in the Water" (from Live at Carnegie Hall)

It all began in 1973 when founding member Bernice Johnson Reagon (formerly of the 1960s activist singing group, the Freedom Singers) got hired to teach a vocal workshop in Washington, DC, for the Black Repertory Company. She gathered a group of four women together and the first song they learned to sing together was titled "Sweet Honey in the Rock" - based on a bible verse from Psalms 81:16.

Since then, Sweet Honey has evolved into a sort of musical collective, welcoming several waves of women members through the years and dedicating their vocal prowess to singing out about issues ranging from racism to domestic violence, immigration injustice, and environmental issues. They encourage their audiences to sing along with them, and have been known to perform educational workshops for children - using music to teach kids about peace, understanding, and tolerance.

Musically, Sweet Honey in the Rock is deeply rooted in African folk music, gospel, and even some vocal jazz. Though they frequently revitalize old folk anthems, their five-part harmony arrangements are original and composed by the members of the group.

Over the course of their three-decade existence, the band has gone through several incarnations, welcoming more than 20 members in and out of its ranks. Reagon left the group in 2004, though she has been known to appear with them on occasion since then.

To date, Sweet Honey in the Rock has released 21 albums and earned a number of Grammy Award nominations, including awards for the Best Musical Album for Children for their 2007 release Experience...101 and the same award for their 2000 release Still the Same Me. Though they began their career as a quartet, the 2012 incarnation of Sweet Honey in the Rock has six members (including a sign language interpreter).

They continue to tour the US and the world. Their song "Are We a Nation" most recently tackled the immigration debate, in response to a controversial law passed in Arizona, and they have a number of tour dates scheduled for 2012, including stops at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, and university performances in New Mexico and Berkeley, Calif. For more information and a full list of tour dates, visit SweetHoney.com.