Calvin Earl (basketball)
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Calvin Earl is an American singer, musician, storyteller and documentary film maker specializing in the history of African American Spirituals. His passion for the preservation of the spirituals led him to lobby for the introduction of twin resolutions (H. Res. 120 and S. Res 69) in the
United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...
in 2007, to honor American slaves for their contribution to the American nation and recognize the African American Spiritual as a National Treasure. He is referred to in the legislation as a “noted performer & educator of the African American Spirituals". Because of his successful efforts in the passage of the legislation, Earl became affectionately known as the "Ambassador of the African American Spirituals". He has recorded two albums of spirituals (for Back to Basics Records), including ''Gratitude'' which is sold at American historical sites including
Monticello Monticello ( ) was the primary residence and plantation of Thomas Jefferson, a Founding Father, author of the Declaration of Independence, and the third president of the United States. Jefferson began designing Monticello after inheriting l ...
,
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, Jamestown, and the
Jimmy Carter National Historic Site The Jimmy Carter National Historical Park, located in Plains, Georgia, preserves sites associated with Jimmy Carter (1924–2024), 39th president of the United States. These include his residence, boyhood farm, school, and the town railroad dep ...
in Plains, Georgia.


Early life

Calvin Earl was born in a sharecropper cabin on the Glen Lillie Farm in Gatesville, NC. Earl began playing guitar at the age of 7 at his hometown church. A naturally talented musician, he soon began to travel to different churches and school venues in several surrounding counties in
North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
and
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
. Considered a musical prodigy at the age of 9, his frequent performances on local Christian radio stations in Virginia and in his home state of North Carolina brought him to the attention of gospel musician
Mahalia Jackson Mahalia Jackson ( ; born Mahala Jackson; October 26, 1911 – January 27, 1972) was an American gospel music, gospel singer, widely considered one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century. With a career spanning 40 years, Jackson was ...
. He performed with her and many other
gospel singers Gospel music is a traditional genre of Christian music and a cornerstone of Christian media. The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of gospel music vary according to culture and social context. Gospel music is compos ...
including The Blind Boys of Alabama,
Shirley Caesar Shirley Ann Caesar-Williams (Birth name, née Caesar; born October 13, 1938), known professionally as Shirley Caesar, is an American Gospel music, gospel singer. Her career began in 1951, when she signed to Federal Records at the age of 12. Thro ...
,
James Cleveland James Edward Cleveland (December 5, 1931 – February 9, 1991) was an American gospel singer, musician, and composer. Known as the "King of Gospel," Cleveland was a driving force behind the creation of the modern gospel sound by incorporating ...
,
The Mighty Clouds of Joy The Mighty Clouds of Joy were an American traditional gospel music quartet. Career The Mighty Clouds of Joy was formed in 1959 in Los Angeles as a tradition-based style group. It wasn't until 1961 as the group became famous, they added bass, ...
, and the
Dixie Hummingbirds Dixie, also known as Dixieland or Dixie's Land, is a nickname for all or part of the Southern United States. While there is no official definition of this region (and the included areas have shifted over the years), or the extent of the area i ...
throughout his childhood and teen years.
James Brown James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, musician, and record producer. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th-century music, he is referred to by Honorific nick ...
wanted to take him on the road as a guitarist for his band, but Earl's parents turned down the offer along with all the other offers for their youngest son.


Career

In 1972–1974 while serving stateside in the military (
US Army Corps of Engineers The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is the military engineering branch of the United States Army. A direct reporting unit (DRU), it has three primary mission areas: Engineer Regiment, military construction, and civil wor ...
,
Fort Ord, California Fort Ord is a former United States Army post on Monterey Bay on the Pacific Ocean coast in California, which closed in 1994 due to Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) action. Most of the fort's land now makes up the Fort Ord National Monument, ...
) during the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
, Earl formed a
R & B Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated within African American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predomina ...
band in 1973 named the "Elements of Peace". The band performed at Military Officer's clubs, nightclubs in the
Monterey Monterey ( ; ) is a city situated on the southern edge of Monterey Bay, on the Central Coast of California. Located in Monterey County, the city occupies a land area of and recorded a population of 30,218 in the 2020 census. The city was fou ...
and
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areas, and at special events. At the end of his military service they disbanded and Earl attended community college on the
GI Bill The G.I. Bill, formally the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, was a law that provided a range of benefits for some of the returning World War II veterans (commonly referred to as G.I.s). The original G.I. Bill expired in 1956, but the te ...
in
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. In late 1991, he formed another band, "Calvin Earl and His Big Band Sound". In 1991 at the annual
Long Beach Blues Festival The Long Beach Blues Festival, in Long Beach, California, United States, was established fully in 1980, and was one of the largest blues festivals and was the second oldest on the West Coast (first being the San Francisco Blues Festival). It w ...
he was invited to perform with The Blind Boys of Alabama. In the Spring of 1992, he presented his first solo performance at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in
Ojai, California Ojai ( ; Chumashan languages, Chumash: ''’Awhaỳ'') is a city in Ventura County, California. Located in the Ojai Valley, it is northwest of Los Angeles and east of Santa Barbara, California, Santa Barbara. The valley is part of the east– ...
. Earl joined several artist rosters at Community Works Theater To Go NYC an organization building community through art and education, Urban Stages an award-winning Off Broadway production company and NY State Performers & Programs for public libraries. He also joined the New Jersey Council for the Humanities – Horizons Speaker Bureau roster. In 1999 he debuted his show "The Spirit Behind The Spirituals" at the Children's Storefront School in Harlem.


2007 United States Congressional Historic Twin Resolutions

In 2006, Earl asked Senator Robert Menendez to introduce legislation on the Senate floor to honor the American slaves for their contributions to the American nation, and recognize the African American Spiritual as a National Treasure. Earl managed to persuade Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro to sponsor the twin resolution, while other co-sponsors included Congresswoman
Carolyn Maloney Carolyn Jane Maloney (née Bosher, February 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 2013 to 2023, and for from 1993 to 2013. The district includes most of Manhattan's East Side, Astoria and Long I ...
(NY), Congressman Danny K. Davis (IL) and Congressman
John Lewis John Robert Lewis (February 21, 1940 – July 17, 2020) was an American civil rights activist and politician who served in the United States House of Representatives for from 1987 until his death in 2020. He participated in the 1960 Nashville ...
(GA). He also enlisted the help of scholars including Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr
Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...
,
Dr. Cornel West Cornel Ronald West (born June 2, 1953) is an American philosopher, theologian, political activist, politician, social critic, and public intellectual. West was an independent candidate in the 2024 United States presidential election and is an ou ...
-
Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...
, Dr Clement Price – Rudgers University, Dr. Dorothy I. Height (1912–2010)- former Chair & President Emerita
National Council of Negro Women The National Council of Negro Women, Inc. (NCNW) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1935 with the mission to advance the opportunities and the quality of life for African-American women, their families, and communities. Mary McLeod Bethune, ...
and the NAACP. On February 7, 2007, the House passed H. Res 120, and on February 17, 2007, the Senate passed S. Res 69. File:Calvin_Earl_with_former_Senator(IL)_President_Barack_Obama.jpeg, President Barack Obama File:Calvin_Earl_with_Senator_Robert_Menendez.jpeg, Senator Robert Menendez File:Calvin_Earl_with_Senator_Elizabeth_Dole.jpeg, Senator Elizabeth Dole File:Calvin_Earl_with_Congressman_John_Lewis.jpeg, Congressman John Lewis File:Calvin_Earl_with_Congresswoman_Rosa_DeLauro.jpeg, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro File:Dr._Dorothy_I._Height_with_Calvin_Earl.jpg, Dr. Dorothy I. Height


Honors and awards

*2006 – United States Senate Certificate of Appreciation for "distinctive service to our nation and the State of New Jersey” *2008 – George W. Bush – Presidential Proclamation – "celebrating the extraordinary talents and creativity of African-American singers, musicians and composers whose achievements have enriched our culture and enhances our lives.” *2000 – Certificate of Appreciation Sisulu Children's Academy *2003 – Certificate of Appreciation Upward Bound Program, Salem State University *2012 – The Negro Spirituals Heritage Keeper Award, Friend of the Negro Spirituals, San Francisco CA


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Earl, Calvin 20th-century African-American male singers 20th-century American male singers 20th-century American singers American jazz singers 1952 births Living people American performance artists Filmmakers from North Carolina People from Gatesville, North Carolina 21st-century African-American musicians