When thinking of songs by the great civil rights activist Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon of Sweet Honey in the Rock, thoughts may immediately recall her fiery and compelling calls for freedom and equality. This pre-Valentine's Day gathering explores Dr. Reagon's softer, more sentimental odes to the many facets of enduring love.
We start off the 90-minute gathering by listening to a recording of one of Dr. Reagan songs. Grammy-nominated singer and song leader Arnaé Batson then delineates the structure of each song (intro, verse, chorus, melody, etc.) and follows up by teaching easily accessible sections that we can all sing along to.
Our lyrical journey explores topics ranging from self love ("I Am A Lady") to emotional love ("Sometime") to loving through grief ("Mae Frances"), from unrequited love ("Hey, Mann") to love of gender ("Every Woman") to deep heartbreak ("My Way") and her unending love of justice ("I Be Your Water").
We sing, we listen, we feel, and we fill our hearts and ears to the powerful testimonies of love through the personal experiences and observations of a master composer. As you participate in the oral tradition, you gain an understanding of Dr. Reagon's writing style, her unique approach to layering vocals, and how she arranged harmonies in the service of telling her stories.
Everyone's mic will be muted during the singing phases, so participants can openly and courageously sing in the comfort of their own spaces. Questions are encouraged and can be put in the chat. The chat will also serve as a repository for running comments and annotation throughout the session. Arnaé will share her personal knowledge and insights of the selected songs, particularly those she led in concert sitting next to Dr. Reagon.
Please note: Song provenance and lyrics will be provided to all attendees for use during the session.
Join Teachers Studio live on Wednesday, February 12, 6:00-7:30 p.m. ET (3:00-4:30 p.m. PT). For registered participants, this class will be available until April 12.
