January 30, 2004
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Social consciousness goes down good sweetened with Honey
by Roberta Penn
In 1973, a group of African American women formed the a cappella group Sweet Honey in the Rock, drawing the name from a biblical passage. Since then, gospel music as sweet and liquid as warm honey has flowed from the vocal group, whose membership shifts according to the needs of the women.
But Sweet Honey also takes on social issues. The title song from its latest release, "The Women Gather," is about women crying over the loss of children, siblings or parents through violence on our own streets or away at war....