Maya Angelou was an acclaimed American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist. She is perhaps best known for her poem “Still I Rise,” first published in 1978. However, did you know that she also had a brief career as a singer? While Angelou began singing as a teenager, becoming a part of the musical life of San Francisco, and even hit the nightclub circuit in New York as a singer, she eventually left her musical career and became a renowned poet, activist, and public speaker.
Few are aware that Angelou made her first record at the age of 14. It was “Misfortune’s Curse,” released on the Lincoln Records label in 1957. But Angelou’s musical career did not stop there. In 1959, she released “Calypso Lady” on Atco Records, and toured with the Calypso Roadshow through the south. During this period, she performed under the stage name “Maya Angelou.”
Angelou’s career was met with success, though. Signing with Rockwell Records in 1960, she released two singles: “Tito, My Little Son” and “The Sex Goes Up and Down.” Though not mainstream chart-toppers, these two songs demonstrated her skill and artistry as a singer-songwriter.
Angelou was unique in her singing style and modern interpretation of traditional American tunes. She continued to bring a unique style to her new recordings with Rockwell, including “Miss Calypso.” The original version of the song was formatted with a calypso feel, while the re-release put a jazz spin to it.
Angelou’s singing career came to an end in 1962, with her third release, “Life Doesn’t Have to Be So Hard.” Despite leaving her singing career behind, Angelou continued to make music part of her life. She would frequently sing in her public speaking engagements, adding a unique touch to her work.
Mining Music in Maya Angelou’s Other Work
While Angelou left her singing career behind in the early 1960s, music remained a part of Maya Angelou’s work. Her poems and other works often evoke musical themes and styles ranging from blues to gospel. Her award-winning autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings reflects similar musical influences.
In I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Angelou paints a picture of her youth, living in a segregated Arkansas town. Angelou uses music to buoy her narrative, as a source of joy and connection in the midst of racial injustice. She recounts the blues and gospel tunes she heard her uncles playing; the soothing lullabies her mother sang; the shout-outs and sermons at church.
The use of music in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is a testament to Maya Angelou’s success in trading the stage for the page. She infuses her autobiography with powerful, evocative notes of music.
This is especially noticeable in her concepts of “the blues born of oppression and poverty,” as well as her notion that “the blues took the awful toil and moil from the fields and the sweat, sweat, sweat from the cities,” conveying a powerful and resonant idea of emotional integration.
In other works, Angelou draws on music as a source of strength, courage, and empowerment. Her poem “And Still I Rise” opens with a powerful reference to music, saying that life should be sung and not spoken. In fact, it was later set to music and became the widely praised song “And Then I Scheduled” by jazz artist Gregory Porter.
Maya Angelou and the Civil Rights Movement
Maya Angelou’s voice wasn’t just heard in song and verse, however, it was also heard in her role as a freedom fighter in the civil rights movement. During this time, Angelou served as a mentor to Martin Luther King Jr., and was active in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. She was also instrumental in organizing the 1963 civil rights march on Washington.
In her autobiography, Angelou describes how the music played at the march energized and inspired the crowds of protesters. She writes of Paul Robeson singing “O Freedom,” Clara Ward singing “This Little Light of Mine,” and Ella Baker speaking of freedom and singing “We Shall Overcome.” She says these songs created “a unified spirit” among the gathered protesters that was nearly tangible.
Angelou was also an editor for Africa Report, an international magazine that advocated for African liberation. She wrote articles, published her photography, and sang in the magazine’s weekly concerts. Through these concerts and the magazine Angelou spread awareness of the civil rights struggle and other African liberation struggles.
Maya Angelou’s Role in African American Music
Maya Angelou was a pioneering leader in the African American music scene. Throughout her career, Angelou worked to make African American music a part of the cultural mainstream. Her work; both musical and non-musical; helped to bring African American music to a wider audience and make it a more accepted genre.
Angelou often included music in her writing. She drew from blues, jazz, and gospel influences to convey her feelings, ideas, and experiences in powerful and evocative ways. Angelou was also known for her music-based performances, in which she combined music and poetry to express powerful messages about African American culture.
Angelou also frequently spoke out against music industry practices that excluded African American musicians. She raised awareness of the music industry’s preference for white performers and often spoke out about her own experiences of racism in the industry. For example, she was asked to go to the back of a radio station before her singing debut because she was African American.
The Legacy of Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou was a pioneer who transcended many boundaries including music, writing, and public speaking. Her fierce independence and tenacity marked her as an audacious icon who fought the good fight, raising her voice in support of social justice and change. Although her music career was short-lived, her influence continues to be felt in the African American music community.
Angelou brought attention to African American music and supported African American musicians as they strived to create and share their art with the world. Her role in the civil rights movement and her writing are reminders of her dedication to helping others and advocating for change.
Celebrating Maya Angelou with Music
In 2015, the United States Postal Service honored Maya Angelou with her very own Forever Stamp. To commemorate this occasion, the USPS created a special video featuring a series of musical and spoken-word performances. The video featured African American musicians and performers paying homage to the author and civil rights leader.
The musical performances in the tribute video exemplified the influence Maya Angelou had on the world of music and are an apt reminder of her legacy. Performers included Dorothy McRae-McMahon, Gregory Porter, Ben Taylor, and more singing renditions of Dr. Angelou’s famous works.
Other projects to honor Maya Angelou included a 2016 tribute album, Caged Bird Songs. The album, released as a digital download, was a collection of songs from some of country music’s famous voices. The album raised money for the Maya Angelou Foundation, which supports literacy programs and encourages youth to learn the power of reading.
The Extension of Maya Angelou’s Musical Legacy
Today, Maya Angelou’s influence is still felt in the music community. Many contemporary musicians cite her as an influence and inspiration, and her work continues to inspire new generations of artists.
For example, many of today’s biopics and documentaries continue to feature original compositions and covers of Angelou’s work. In 2017, the animated feature film “Coco” featured a reprise of Angelou’s “Still I Rise” in the end credits.
In the realms of theatre and Broadway, Angelou has also provided her influence. In 2018, a full-length play called “Angelou: A Woman in Music,” was written to tell the story of Angelou’s life as a skilled singer and songwriter. The play was a collaborative work, combining her original music and writing with current and original music from collaborators.
The legacies of Maya Angelou not only live on in the music industry, but also in the lives of everyday people in more personal moments. Her legacy endures in the everyday music that fills people’s lives and inspires those who choose to live life to its fullest.
