Sounds of Blackness is a vocal and instrumental ensemble from Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota who perform music from several genres music including gospel, R&B, soul, and jazz. The group scored several hits on the Billboard R&B and Hot Dance Music/Club Play charts in the 1990s. Cynthia Johnson of Lipps Inc. and Ann Nesby are the group's most prominent alumni.
History
Origins
The group was founded in 1969 by Russell Knighton at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and the group was called the Macalester College Black Voices. It was in 1971 when current director Gary Hines took leadership over the ensemble, and the group name was officially changed to Sounds of Blackness. The chief lead singer of the group was Ann Nesby until 1995 when Nesby left the group to pursue a solo career. The group continues to perform internationally. The group performed the original songs for the 1999 Disney animated short John Henry as part of Disney's American Legends, the short was re-released in 2015 as part of the Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection. The original songs were written by Gary Hines and Billy Steele, with a score by Stephen James Taylor. On September 30, 2018, group member James "Big Jim" Wright was found dead at his home in Rockford, Illinois. Outside of Sounds of Blackness, Wright was best known as a frequent collaborator of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and an in-house producer for their company, Flyte Tyme Productions.
Awards and honors
The group has received three Grammy Awards, four Stellar Awards, one Emmy nomination, the International Time for Peace Award, the International Dance Music Award, five NAACP Image Award nominations and 1 NAACP Image Award. Sounds of Blackness's "Time For Love" was nominated for the 7th Annual Independent Music Awards for R&B Song of the year. Sounds of Blackness has been honored with a star on the outside mural of the Minneapolis nightclub First Avenue, recognizing performers that have played sold-out shows or have otherwise demonstrated a major contribution to the culture at the iconic venue. Receiving a star "might be the most prestigious public honor an artist can receive in Minneapolis," according to journalist Steve Marsh.
Ronnie Allen, Melissa Belfrey, Jayn Bell, Jamecia Bennett, Michael Bowens, Kimberly Brown, Quintin Brown, Salimah Bryant, Ashley Commodore, Nneka Constantino, Charles Cooley, Core' Cotton, Ayenna Davis, Tim Davis, Bridget Dawkins, Amy Demps, Doriel Demps, Steve Dinkins, Melody Doyle, Robert Edwards, Rodney Fair, Graydon Francis, Elwyn Fraser Jr, Terrence Frierson, Lacie Glasper, Marie Graham, Alecia Russell-Hammonds, Reginald Haney, Carrie Harrington, Sandy Harris, Angela Henderson, Quan Howell, David Hurst, Dr. Robert Jones, Chreese Jones, Geoff Jones, Len Jones, Alexandra King, Russell Knighton, Patricia Lacy, Wanda Lewis, Yulanda Lunn, Ann Nesby, Chanel Perry, Carl Pertile, Cheryl Reeves, Charles Robinson, Greg Sears, Cydni Shepard, Lynnette Simpson, Mike Smith, Aaron Keith Stewart, Dorothy "DT" Townes, Andrea Tribitt, Libby Turner, Victoria Udeh, Anthony Valentino, Jennifer L J Whitlock, Tamika Wade, Freddie Winston, and David Young.
Instrumentalists
Daryl Boudreaux - Percussion, Brandon Commodore - Drums, Trenon Graham - Drums, Gary Hines - Music Director - Keyboards, Solomon Hughes - Guitar, Paul Johnson - Bass, Jeanine McAdams - Keyboards, Darold McCray - Guitar, Juan Navarro - Trombone, Larry Robinson - Drums, Larry Sims - Trumpet, Mike Scott - Guitar, Louis James Wilson - Tenor Saxophone, Billy Steele - Assistant Director - Keyboards, David Wright III - Baritone Saxophone - Flute, Frank Wharton - Alto Saxophone, Kevin Whitlock - Congas/Percussion, Solomon Parham - Trumpet
Emeritus Members
Gregory Adams, Diane Beckley, Dorothy Brown, Gordon Bruce, Keith Bushnell, Ethylon Butler, Demetria Carter, Dara Ceaser, Ginger Commodore, Rita Commodore, Robert Commodore, Pat Foreman, Theo Foreman, LaSalle Gabriel, Michael Graham, Kelli Hickman, Wendy Ingram, Cynthia Johnson, JoAnn Johnson, Renee McCall, Valarie McCullar, Otis Montgomery, Dorothy "Dot" Shelby, Audrey Smith, William "Bill" Smith, Eugene Stump, Craig "Rojeem" Taylor, Bob Thomas, Tim Thompson, Gennise Wilson, James "Big Jim" Wright, and Joe Young Jr.
