SonicScoop Honors Martin Luther King, Jr. Today

January 18th, 2010 by David Weiss

Today, on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, SonicScoop pays tribute to a great American. As so many of us aspire to be with our art, Dr. King was a true agent of change, affecting positive modifications on a massive scale and inspiring millions of others to do the same.

So many of us who aspire to make a living, all or in part, with music require constant reminders that nothing is impossible. For those of us who could only experience him from a distance over space or time – his life was cut short years before I was born – his will to make the world a better place seemed tireless, as if it were on for his every waking moment.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Doubtless, however, MLK had moments of doubt. It’s probably what he did at those times to overcome his own fears that allowed him to emerge as one our nation’s most remarkable figures.

Interestingly, for all of us who inhabit the world of audio, MLK’s legacy is inexorably connected with many of the most important recordings yet made. An elite orator, the sound of his voice delivering “I Have a Dream” and many other speeches send shivers racing up and down your spine.

Look at that speech on YouTube, or better yet just close your eyes and listen. I hear a song of logic, emotion, passion and power. Something unforgettable. Something unfaltering. Something life-altering.

What do you hear from Martin Luther King, Jr.? Can you apply it to your own life? To those around you? To our brothers and sisters today in Haiti? Let us know, and help his message and spirit sing on. – David Weiss