Grammy-Award Winning Gospel Singers to Perform at UA

TUSCALOOSA, Ala – Spirituals, hymns and gospel, as well as jazz and blues, will be presented by Grammy Award-winning African female a cappella ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock on Feb. 16 as part of The University of Alabama School of Music’s Celebrity Series. The performance will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Moody Music Building on the UA campus.

Founded in 1973 by Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, Sweet Honey in the Rock has deep musical roots in the sacred songs of the Black church. Six African-American women join their powerful voices, along with hand percussion instruments, to create a blend of lyrics, movement and narrative that variously relate history, point the finger at injustice, encourage activism, and sing the praises of love. The septet, whose words are simultaneously interpreted in uniquely expressive American Sign Language, produces a sound filled with expressive harmonies and intricate rhythms.

Attracting audiences from across Alabama and surrounding states, the Celebrity Series provides the opportunity for musical arts enthusiasts to enjoy the sounds of performers from around the world.

“The Celebrity Series has become one of the premiere recital series in the United States,” said Skip Snead, director of the UA Music School. “We are so excited this month to have a group that will show us the rich textures of African-American heritage and folklore. From hearing their music, I know that Sweet Honey possesses a striking vocal ability that can depict the complex sounds of everything from ancient lullabies and jazz improvisation to traditional gospel hymns.”

The Sweet Honey in the Rock performance is sponsored by the Gloria Narramore Moody Foundation, which has brought world-renowned artists to Tuscaloosa since 1988. The Moody Foundation was founded in 1990 by Gloria Moody and her husband, the late Tuscaloosa businessman Frank McCorkle Moody, to support the arts and music. The Moody Foundation has also endowed scholarships at UA and has supported arts organizations elsewhere in the United States.

Celebrity Series season subscriptions are $72 and $55, single ticket prices are $22 and $15 for the general public and $7 for students.

For ticket information call the School of Music box office at 205/348-7111.

The College of Arts and Sciences is the University’s largest division and the largest public liberal arts college in the state, with approximately 5,500 undergraduates and 1,000 graduate students. College students have been selected for many of the nation’s top academic honors, including Rhodes Scholarships, Goldwater Scholarships, Truman Scholarships, and members on USA Today’s Academic All-American teams.