Sweet Honey in the Rock
Sweet Honey in the Rock live at Ravinia Photo: Stephen Neilson
Background information
Origin	Washington, D.C.
Genres	Gospel, Blues, Spoken Word
Years active	1973 (1973) - Present
Labels	Flying Fish, Rounder Records, Sony Records, Redwood, Music for Little People, Earth Beat!, Rykodisc, Appleseed, Freedomsong Productions (Australia only), SHE ROCKS!
Website	Official site
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 internationally renowned all-woman, African-American a cappella ensemble. They are a Grammy Award-winning (and many times nominated) troupe who express their history as women of color through song, while entertaining their audience. They have together worked from four women to the difficult five-part harmony with the sixth member translating with sign language. Although the members have changed over 3 decades, they continue to sing and have helped to produce several children's records as well as those intended for adults.

[edit] Musical career

Sweet Honey in the Rock was founded in 1973 by Bernice Johnson Reagon who founded 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 was derived from a song, based on Psalm 81:16, which tells of a land so rich that when rocks were cracked open, honey flowed from them.^[1] Johnson has said that this first song in which four women blended their voices was so powerful, that there was no question what the name of the group should be.

Sweet Honey in the Rock performing at the White House 2-18-09

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 Award 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 rights, 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

Sweet Honey in the Rock in Concert, 2006
Courtesy Jamie Price

• 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

• Grammy Awards 2008 Best Musical Album For Children -Experience...101
• Grammy Awards 2000 Best Musical Album For Children - Still the Same Me

[edit] References

1. ^ "Frequently asked questions". http://www.sweethoney.com/FAQs.html. Retrieved 2007-12-20. 

[edit] External links

• Official homepage
• Sweet Honey in the Rock My Space