This morning I got the news that Gil Scott-Heron passed away at 4pm on Friday May 27th, 2011. He’s been described as a voice of a generation.
I certainly grew up listening to songs like “Winter in America,” “The Bottle,” “Lady Day & John Coletrain,” and “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.” It was revealed that he was HIV positive in 2008, but there’s no word on the cause of death at this time.
Gil Scott-Heron remained relevant to new generations through other poets and music artists who celebrated, or sampled, his work. After a 13-year hiatus from the music business, he released a new album in 2010 entitled “I’m New Here.” I found a rare film about his life and legacy; to view the video and learn more about the legend of Gil Scott-Heron, click here.
