As a part of their vision to impart positive messages of Black culture for 53 years, The Sounds of Blackness has been creating and performing music to inspire and encourage listeners. This half-century musical journey began on a St. Paul college campus but evolved into international acclaim.
With an Emmy nomination, as three-time recipients of a Grammy and four-time recipients of Stellar Awards, the group was a part of the evolution of the Minneapolis Sound.
In the late 1960s, McAllister College began the EEO (Expanded Educational Opportunity) program to diversify the students on a predominately white campus. The program resulted in approximately 200 students of color who created student-driven activities and organizations, including a 50-voice choir called McAllister College Black Voices.
In 1971, during his sophomore year, Gary Hines was asked to direct the choir when its previous director graduated, which birthed Sounds of Blackness. Hines says his God-given vision was to use Duke Ellington as his template.
“[When we] hear Duke today, we think of jazz, as we should,” says Hines. “But too many people don’t know that Duke wrote, recorded and performed African music, spirituals, gospel, blues, every sound of Blackness,” hence the group’s name. “He did primarily jazz, but [Ellington] did the music of the culture.”
Besides Ellington, Hines says they drew inspiration from many musicians who came before them. “People know Billie Holiday for many songs,” said Hines. “But Billie Holiday would be the first to say that her theme song was ‘Strange Fruit,’ which was about the lynching of Blacks in the South.”
Aretha Franklin, best known for ‘Respect,’ once told Hines that “To Be Young Gifted and Black” was her theme song. “James Brown, of course, had ‘Cold Sweat,’ and ‘Papa’s got a Brand New Bag,’” Hines said. “But he wrote what I consider the most influential and important piece of music in our history and culture, ‘Say it Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud,’’’ when many believed that being Black and connected with Africa was something to be ashamed of.
Hines first realized the impact of their music in 1974 when the National Urban League’s chairman invited them to perform for their convention in San Francisco. Having no money to make the trip, they held a fundraising party, and with the help of Northwest Airlines and General Mills, they could secure flight tickets.
The Edwin Hawkins Singers, The Pointer Sisters, and Abbey Lincoln performed that year. “That was our first truly national stage and exposure, and the reaction to our music and message was overwhelming,” said Hines.
Sounds of Blackness evolved as part of the Minneapolis Sound led by the late Prince. “Our relationship goes back to the ‘70s,” Hines shared of the musician. “I remember my senior year I started hearing rumors at [Minneapolis] Central [High School] about this little guy at Bryant [Junior High School] that was a beast on every instrument.”
Sounds of Blackness would be the first act of the music portion of the Northside Black Festival. Prince, The Time, or Andre Simone would close the show. When the Prince gained international success, Hines says he never forgot them. They performed on their first major motion picture soundtrack at a request from Prince.
“Prince would call at two or three in the morning like it was noon. And as long as we knew each other he would always say your full name: ‘Gary Hines, I have this idea for Sounds of Blackness… I just need you for a couple of hours,” explained Hines. “Of course, we were there all night.”
They recorded the song “Scandalous” for the first “Batman” movie soundtrack, and shortly after they were signed to Jimmy Jam and Terri Lewis’ record label, Perspective.
Just last month, on May 31, they released “Thankful,” a single written by Jemecia Bennet featuring Andre Locke, the father of Amir Locke who was killed by police. Hines says a few but not enough well-known entertainers today create culturally conscious music. The exceptions are Common, which Sounds of Blackness has performed with, and Beyonce.
“The record industry propagates, promulgates, encourages and promotes negativity and self-denigration,” Hines said. “So, when you come out with conscious music it’s not going to get the airplay.”
Over the years, Sounds of Blackness has held onto the vision of message-driven music. This includes the single “Black Lives Matter,” which they sent to the national movement’s co-founders. “The same way the Civil Rights Movement had “We Shall Overcome” and “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Round,” it seemed fit to present an anthem for that facet of the movement,” Hines said.
When George Floyd was killed just a few blocks from Sabathani Community Center where the group rehearses, they recorded “I’m Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired,” inspired by words from Fanny Lou Hamer with permission from her family and the foundation that honors her legacy, and with authorization from the George Floyd Foundation.
You can find their music at Sounds of Blackness.org, and they are on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn. Remaining connected with the Minnesota community, Hines stated, “We will correspond with you. You will hear back from us. It won’t be a student or an intern. It will be one of us.” As a nonprofit, some message-driven songs support the causes they represent.
“Every sound of the Black music experience—jazz, blues, gospel, hip hop, rap, rock and roll, country, R&B, world beat—all of those styles of music are in our repertoire,” said Hines. “[And it’s] always about our movement for justice and equality at the center of our message.”