FROM JAZZ AND BLUES TO ROCK & ROLL, R&B, GOSPEL, SPIRITUALS, HIPHOP, REGGAE AND SOUL, WE COLOR EACH AND EVERY “SOUND OF BLACKNESS” WITH UPLIFTING MESSAGES OF HOPE, UNITY, LOVE AND PEACE FOR ALL HUMANKIND – AND WE WORK PASSIONATELY TO ACHIEVE IT.
Since January of 1971, the Grammy Award-winning Sounds of Blackness’ tireless endeavors under the direction of Gary Hines, has included:
Performing on five continents for everyone from homeless persons, prison inmates, and orphans, to Kings, Queens, Presidents, Ambassadors, Diplomats and Heads of State at such events as the Denver Summit of Eight, the World Music Awards, several Embassies and, five White House appearances.
Worldwide benefit concerts and recordings that have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for such causes as the United Nations Telefood Concert (Jamaica), The United Nations 50th Anniversary –“People/Children of the World”, The United Negro College Fund, Scholarship America, the NAACP, The Children’s Heart Fund, the Lupus Foundation, the Opportunities Industrialization Centers, Americorps, ‘Border Babies’, the National Urban League, Hale House, HBO Comic Relief V (For The Homeless), Hurricane Katrina and tsunami fundraisers; participation in Grammy in the Schools, and countless others.
Theatrical Productions, Seminars, Master Classes, Workshops and Lecture-
Demonstrations on African American music, culture and history at every level from pre-
school to postgraduate and, from the Smithsonian Institution to the Kennedy Center. They educate while entertaining at schools, colleges and universities, hospitals, men’s and women’s prisons, youth correctional facilities, halfway houses, battered women’s shelters, synagogues, mosques, temples, churches, community centers, and corporations. Sounds of Blackness has partnered with corporations such as General Mills’ “Feeding Dreams” and United Health Care’s “Do Good, Live Well” programs, to support urban programs and people. General Motors, Northwest Airlines, Target Corp, 3M, IBM, A&M, American Family Insurance, the NBA, the NFL, CBS, Polygram, Disney, and NARAS. Sounds of Blackness has partnered with domestic violence agencies and actively participates in the struggle against domestic violence through music.
Pioneering the worldwide presence and proliferation of Inspirational Soul Music at radio, dance clubs, television, theater and on film –which has in turn substantially changed and continues to change the very face of each of those entities forever. Film soundtracks from Batman and Demolition Man, to Panther, House Party II, The Posse, Down in the Delta,Moses in Egypt, John Henry, First Kid, Mo’ Money, Justice, First Sunday, Precious, and The Apostle.
Appearing/recording with or for Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, Prince, Sting, Santana, Eric Clapton, Usher, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, L.A. Reid & Babyface, Sir Elton John, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, Luther Vandross, Aretha Franklin, Anita Baker, Ashanti, Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Lyle Lovett, Bob Dylan, John Cougar, Patti LaBelle, Earth Wind & Fire, Shirley Caeser, Yolanda Adams, Kirk Franklin, Kenny G, President Bill Clinton, Jay Leno, Lena Horne, Isaac Hayes, Little Richard, B.B. King, the Minnesota Orchestra, Johnny Mathis, Billy Crystal, Robin Williams, Jim Carrey, Whoopi Goldberg, Robert Duvall, Maya Angelou and many others.
On at least five occasions performing for over one billion people: The 1992 & 1993 Grammy Awards, the 1994 World Cup, the 1996 Olympics and the 1998 World Figure Skating Championships.
Winning a Grammy Award (1992), Soul Train Music Award, International Time For Peace Award, seven Stellar Awards, International Dance Music Awards, and being nominated for an Emmy, 8 and 5 NAACP Image Awards, among others.
The Sounds of Blackness music helped fuel the presidential campaigns of President Barack Obama. The group’s self-titled CD The Sounds of Blackness and its first single “Fly Again” inspired the world and a new generation. The Sound of Blackness CD won a 2012 NAACP Image Award for Best World Music Recording!
In 2015, “Black Lives Matter: No Justice No Peace” gave resounding voice and added depth to the powerful Black Lives Matter movement. Now, “Royalty” has topped the charts at #14 and is stirring a young generation to believe in their majesty and ability to change the world.
We Give Thanks and Praise To God For All Things and Everyone.
