Relevancy Of Music - Social Messagers

     Young people under age 18 spend more than six hours per day listening to music. Music can shape our values, actions, and perspective on world views. Music does not replace books, or any other way of learning and forming opinions, however, music provides an alternative for understanding social issues. Music appeals to our emotions, and has power to expand and open our minds to new thoughts, and ideas.

     Nina Simone (Eunice Kathleen Waymon - February 21, 1933 - April 21, 2003) was a singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, and civil rights movement activist who was versed in a wide range of musical styles such as classical, jazz, blues, folk, R&B, gospel, and pop. Eunice Kathleen Waymon changed her name to Nina Simone to make a living in music, and disguise herself from her family members who described her music as "the devil`s music". In 1964, Nina Simone changed from American Colpix to a new record distributor - Dutch Philips. This marked a significant change in content for Nina Simone`s recordings, making it possible for Nina Simone to record "Mississippi Goddam"- a political song in response to the June 12, 1963 murder of Medgar Evers, and the September 15, 1963 Church bombing of 16th Street Baptist Church, in Birmingham, Alabama. "Mississippi Goddam" was only one of many protest songs written by Nina Simone.

     There are three areas of Bob Marley`s life that defines him: 1) his experience with racism as a mixed-race man, 2) growing-up in Kingston`s Trenchtown slum, and 3) his Rastafari beliefs. Bob Marley remains an influential figure for using music to spread a Rastafari message. Bob Marley`s music brought listeners from around the world to embrace Rastafari, which currently has an estimated one million followers around the world that embrace Rasta philosophy.
     For more information on Bob Marley check the following resources:
* "Bob Marley: The Untold Story" - Chris Salewicz (2009)
* "Catch A Fire: The Life of Bob Marley" - Timothy White (1983)
* "Marley" - directed by Kevin McDonald (2012)
* "Bob Marley: Freedom Road" - directed by Sonia Anderson (2007)

     Gil Scott Heron was a singer, novelist, musician, lyricist, poet, and political activist who created the phrase "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised". Gil Scott Heron inspired generations of fans in
soul and hip-hop. Lauryn Hill`s "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" was inspired from the film "The Education of Sonny Carson", and the novel "The Mis-Education of the Negro", by Carter G. Woodson.