Voices of My Beautiful Country

"Voices of My Beautiful Country" featuring singer Rene Marie in conversation with Dr. Vincent Harding was attended by almost 300 people on Thursday evening, February 12th, at Saint John’s Cathedral. So many RSVPs had come in that plans to hold the event in Dagwell Hall were soon abandoned in favor of the larger worship space that could accommodate the crowd.  

Download for free the entire “Voices of My Beautiful Country” three movement suite composed, arranged and sung by Rene Marie at http://www.renemarie.com/. This is Rene Marie’s love song to her beautiful country, America. You can read her July 2008 statement under the News tab where Rene Marie describes how she came to create “Voices of My Beautiful Country.”

Dr. Vincent Harding’s interest in Rene Marie and her musical creation “Voices of My Beautiful Country” arises out of his lifelong commitment to a healing-centered approach to community-building that recognizes the interconnectedness of spirit, creativity and citizenship. The Veterans of Hope Project was founded by Dr. Harding and his late wife, Rosemarie Freeney Harding, as the vehicle to share that commitment. Learn more about The Veterans of Hope Project at http://www.veteransofhope.org/.

Rene Marie . . . in her own words

I was born into a family of nine in a very small town in Virginia. Music played a pivotal role in my life from the very beginning. It was at home that I learned the value of telling the story behind the music and how powerfully that story can move the listener and impact one's life. I had one year of formal piano lessons when I was nine years old and another year when I was 13. The rest of my musical ability seemed to come to me naturally. As a teenager, I sang in a band at musical functions in my neighborhood. I composed and sang my first piece in the band when I was 15. 

At the age of 18 my boyfriend and I joined a very strict religious group, got married and stopped performing in public—for good, it seemed. Four years later, I was a mother of two sons and found myself inculcating in them a love for music the same way my father had with me—by example. Many mornings I awakened them with Aaron Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man". Other times, we would 'dance' the story of Maurice Ravel's "Bolero". At night, I would compose lullabies, making up verses until they fell asleep. 

In January 1996, I was 41 and working full-time at a bank when my oldest son convinced me to start singing again. I started out singing one day a week in a smoky bar of a Ramada Inn for tips only. My husband became displeased with the amount of time I was spending with music. On the last day of 1997, he issued the ultimatum that I either stop singing or he would force me to leave our home, and I chose to leave after 23 years of marriage. Eighteen months later, I had divorced my husband, produced my first CD, quit my job at the bank and signed onto the MaxJazz label.

Between 2000 and 2004, I recorded four CDs on the MaxJazz label and have won several awards, both domestic and international, for those recordings. In 2005, I decided to make my own way, call my own shots. In 2006, I decided to work on a one-woman show. In 2007, I released "Experiment In Truth."

I have never forgotten the early lessons learned about the power of music. Today, I try to imbue that feeling of emotion into every song I write—every song I sing—every time. I am very happy to be singing today.

Dr. Vincent Harding

Professor Emeritus of Religion and Social Transformation, Iliff School of Theology, and Founder of the Veterans of Hope Project

Dr. Vincent Harding has a long history of working for peace and justice as an activist, counselor and teacher of spiritually based social activism. He and his wife, Rosemarie Freeney Harding, began their work in the Mennonite Church in Chicago in the late 1950s. They moved to Atlanta in 1960 to join with Martin Luther King, Jr. and others as reconcilers and nonviolence trainers in the Southern Freedom Movement. Dr. Harding worked as Dr. King’s speechwriter and was the first director of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Center in Atlanta. Dr. Harding has written numerous books, including Martin Luther King: The Inconvenient Hero, and he was consultant to the award-winning PBS television series, Eyes on the Prize.

Dr. Harding received his bachelor’s degree from City College of New York, a master’s from Columbia University, and a doctoral degree from the University of Chicago. Before becoming a professor at the Iliff School of Theology, Dr. Harding taught at Pendle Hill Study Center, University of Pennsylvania, Temple University and Spelman College. 

In 1997, Dr. Harding and his wife founded The Veterans of Hope Project as a multifaceted educational initiative on religion, culture and participatory democracy. The Project encourages a healing-centered approach to community-building that recognizes the interconnectedness of spirit, creativity and citizenship. Educational materials are designed to support reconciliation, nonviolence and an appreciation for the value of indigenous and folk wisdom for contemporary times. Through a video interview series with older peace and justice activists; an accompanying curriculum; workshops and training in compassionate leadership development; and a public symposium series, the Project emphasizes grassroots resources for social change from the wisdom of varied local communities. The Project documents and shares the transformative histories of “long distance runners” for peace and justice--passing on the values, faith and practices that have guided their lives and work. In March, 2004, Rosemarie Freeney Harding passed on. Dr. Harding and their daughter, Rachel, are continuing the Project's work.