Anniversary of Gil Scott-Heron's Death

“The way you get to know yourself is by the expression on other people's faces” - Gill Scott-Heron

(Gil Scott-Heron)

Gil Scott-Heron was born as Gilbert Scott-Heron on April 1st, 1949 in Chicago, Illinois. When Scott-Heron was 12 he moved with his mother to The Bronx, NY. Scott-Heron then attended Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. Scott-Heron started writing music in 1970.

(Scott-Heron in 1970)

Bob Thiele of Flying Dutchman Records produced Scott-Heron’s 1st  album titled “Small Talk at 125th and Lenox” in 1970. In 1971 Scott-Heron released “Pieces of a man”.

(Gil Scott-Heron in 1971)

In 1972 he released his 3rd album “Free Will”. From 1974 to 1976 Scott-Heron released the albums “Winter In America” (1974), “Midnight Band: The First Minute of a New Day” (1975), and the live album “It's Your World” (1976). In 1975 he released the song “Johannesburg” which addressed the issue of apartheid in South Africa.

(Scott-Heron performing in 1975)

In 1978 his song “Angel Dust” reached No.15 on the R&B charts. Scott-Heron recorded and released four albums during the 1980s: “1980” (1980), “Real Eyes” (1980), “Reflections” (1981) and “Moving Target” (1982). In 1985 he stopped recording but continued to tour.

(Scott-Heron in 1985)

In 1993 Scott-Heron signed to TVT Records and released “Spirits” (1993). In 2001 Scott-Heron was sentenced one to three years in a New York state prison for possession of cocaine. He was released from jail in 2002 and released from parole in 2003. In October of 2003 during the editing of his film Gil Scott-Heron: The Revolution Will Not Be Televised he was arrested for the possession of a crack pipe and was sentenced 6 months in prison.

(Scott-Heron in 2003)

He was given parole on May 23, 2007 for leaving a drug rehabilitation center. He began to perform live again after being released from parole. On February, 9, 2010 Scott-Heron released “I'm New Here” under XL recordings.

(Scott-Heron performing in 2010)

On May 27th, 2011 Gil Scott-Heron died from HIV in New York City. He was 62 years old.

(Scott-Heron’s obituary)

Today is the 6th anniversary of his death. Take time to remember this great musical artist today.

Albums by Gil Scott-Heron

• “Small Talk at 125th and Lenox” (1970)
• “Pieces of a Man” (1971)
• “Free Will” (1972)
• “Winter in America” (1974)
• “The First Minute of a New Day” (1975)
• “From South Africa to South Carolina” (1976)
• “It’s Your World” (1976)
• “Bridges” (1977)
• “Secrets” (1978)
• “1980” (1980)
• “Real Eyes” (1980)
• “Reflections” (1981)
• “Moving Target” (1982)
• “Spirits” (1994)
• “I’m New Here” (2010)
• “We’re New Here” (2011)
• “Nothing New” (2014)

Videos of Gil Scott-Heron

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZvWt29OG0s  “"The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" - Gil Scott-Heron”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvHFuJX2Ock  “Gil Scott-Heron -Johannesburg -Live 1976 Old Grey Whistle Test”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEU2P33fcYI  “Gil Scott-Heron - Pieces of a Man (live)”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmuJbGW4sYI  “Winter in America - Gil Scott Heron”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnOVbMFiGVg  “Gil Scott Heron The Bottle”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfy6ig4koPM  “Gil Scott Heron - Angel dust”

Happy Birthday Pam Grier

“That's what he was saying, the civil rights movement - judge me for my character, not how black my skin is, not how yellow my skin is, how short I am, how tall or fat or thin; It's by my character” - Pam Grier

(Pam Grier)

Pam Grier was born on May 26th, 1949 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA. At age 6 Grier was raped by 2  boys when she was left unattended at her aunt's house. Her family moved to Denver, CO. While in high school Grier appeared in a number of stage productions, and participated in beauty contests to raise money for college tuition at Metropolitan State College. In 1967 Grier moved to Los Angeles, CA. In 1971 Grier starred in The Big Doll House.

(Grier in The Big Doll House(1971))

In 1972 Grier starred in The Big Bird Cage. In 1973 Grier starred in Coffy. It was a box office hit. Grier became the 1st Black woman to headline an action movie.

(Grier in Coffy (1973))

In 1974 Grier starred in Foxy Brown.

(Grier in Foxy Brown (1974))

In 1975 she starred in Sheba, Baby and Friday Foster. In 1981 she starred in  Fort Apache, The Bronx. In 1988 she starred in Above the Law. She made guest appearances on shows like  “Martin”, “Night Court” and “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air”.

(Grier (Left) in “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air”)

In 1994 she appeared in Snoop Dogg’s music video “Doggy Dogg World”. In 1996 she starred in Jackie Brown.

(Grier in Jackie Brown (1996))

In 2010 Grier starred in the TV show “Smallville”. Also in 2010 Grier wrote a memoir on her life. In 2011 she earned her PhD in science.

(Grier in 2011)

Today she turns 68 years old and we would all like to say happy birthday Pam Grier.

Films Starring Pam Grier

• Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970) as Partygoer
• The Big Doll House (1971) as Grear
• Women in Cages (1971) as Alabama
• Hit Man (1972) as Gozelda
• The Big Bird Cage (1972) as Blossom
• Cool Breeze (1972) as Mona
• Black Mama White Mama (1973) as Lee Daniels
• Scream Blacula Scream (1973) as Lisa
• Coffy (1973) as Coffy
• The Twilight People (1973) as Ayesa
• The Arena (1974) as Mamawi
• Foxy Brown (1974) as Foxy Brown
• Sheba, Baby (1975) as Sheba Shayne
• Bucktown (1975) as Aretha
• Friday Foster (1975) as Friday Foster
• Drum (1976) as Regine
• Greased Lightning (1977) as Mary Jones
• Twilight of Love (1977) as Sandra
• Fort Apache, The Bronx (1981) as Charlotte
• Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983) as Dust Witch
• Tough Enough (1983) as Myra
• The Vindicator (1984) as Hunter
• Badge of the Assassin (1985) as Alexandra Horn
• Stand Alone (1985) as Cathryn Bolan
• On the Edge (1986) as Cora
• The Allnighter (1987) as Sgt. McLeesh
• Above the Law (1988) as Delores Jackson
• The Package (1989) as Ruth Butler
• Class of 1999 (1990) as Ms. Connors
• Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey (1991) as Ms. Wardroe
• Posse (1993) as Phoebe
• Mars Attacks! (1996) as Louise Williams
• Escape from L.A. (1996) as Hershe Las Palmas
• Original Gangstas (1996) as Laurie Thompson
• Jackie Brown (1997) as Jackie Brown
• Fakin’ Da Funk (1997) as Annabelle Lee
• Holy Smoke! (1999) as Carol
• In Too Deep (1999) as Det. Angela Wilson
• Linc’s (1999) as Eleanor Braithwaite Winthrop
• Jawbreaker (1999) as Det. Vera Cruz
• Snow Day (2000) as Tina
• 3 A.M. (2000) as George
• Wilder (2000) as Det. Della Wilder
• Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (2000) as The Empress’ Nightingale
• Fortress 2: Re-entry (2000) as Susan Mendenhall
• Ghosts of Mars (2001) as Commander Helena Braddock
• Bones (2001) as Pearl
• The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002) as Flura Nash
• Back in the Day (2005) as Mrs. Cooper
• Ladies of the House (2008) as Birdie
• Just Wright (2010) as Janice Wright
• The Invited (2010) as Zelda
• Larry Crowne (2011) as Frances
• Woman Thou Art Loosed: On the 7th Day (2012) as Det. Barrick
• The Man with the Iron Fists (2012) as Jane

Videos of Pam Grier

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jVAIitIP-4  “Coffy (trailer)”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVDvu28O3WU  “Foxy Brown (1974) Trailer”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7HkBDNZV7s  “Jackie Brown Official Trailer #1 - (1997) HD”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRvEWDTNWgc  “Sheba Baby (1975) Trailer”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9u1tefPLXI  “FULL INTERVIEW: Pam Grier”