Babatunde Olatunji was a Yoruba born in southwestern Nigeria. He began playing traditional African music at an early age, especially drums and percussive instruments. In 1950 he received a Rotary International Scholarship and went to Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia to study. After graduating he went to New York University. He founded a percussion music… Read more »
Category: Freedom
Common and John Legend, “Glory”
The rapper Common was initially approached to write a song for the movie “Selma” about that pivotal campaign during the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. The movie depicts the marches from Selma to Montgomery calling for voting rights, a protest which led to President Lyndon Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Common invited John… Read more »
The Freedom Singers
Author Daniel Buttry writes ‘The World Music Festival,’ a series of profiles with videos of musical peacemakers. Here he reports on The Freedom Singers.
Mahalia Jackson
Author Daniel Buttry writes ‘The World Music Festival,’ a series of profiles with videos of musical peacemakers. Here he reports on Mahalia Jackson.
Sweet Honey in the Rock
Author Daniel Buttry writes ‘The World Music Festival,’ a series of profiles with videos of musical peacemakers. Here he reports on Sweet Honey in the Rock.