by ERIN VERTREACE

I am rarely without my music. I left my earphones at home once on a day I had to take a two-hour bus ride. It was not a pleasant trip. Someone said music is the soundtrack to life, and African Americans have contributed to the American soundtrack in so many ways, that American musical culture would be drastically different without it. Here are just a few of my favorite black musicians and singers and the songs or albums of theirs I like the most:
Muddy Waters (1915-1983) — The Blues personified — Manish Boy (1955)
Bo Diddley ( 1928-2008) — The beat that started it all! — Bo Diddley (1958)
Chuck Berry (1926) — He laid the foundation for the house of rock and roll — Johnny B. Goode (1958)
Little Richard(1932) — the originator, the emancipator, the true King of Rock and Roll! — Here’s Little Richard (1955)
The Temptations — The epitome of the Motown sound — My Girl (1965)
The Supremes — Grace, beauty, moves and talent. The blueprint for many girl groups to come after — I Hear A Symphony (1965)
Stevie Wonder (1950) — A true musical genius and renaissance man — Songs In The Key Of Life (1976)
Nina Simone (1933-2003)- Jazzy, folky, and honest — I Put A Spell On You (1965)
Odetta (1930-2008) — Folk pioneer with a wide and impressive influence — Odetta Sings Ballads and Blues (1956)
Bob Marley(1945-1981) — For many, he is reggae music — Exodus (1977)
John Coltraine (1926-1967) — Some of the best jazz you will ever hear — Blue Train (1957)
Gil Scott Heron (1949) — Heron and artists like him are the roots of rap music — The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (1988)
The Last Poets — Spoken word pioneers that take it to the streets - The Last Poets (1970)
Public Enemy — Political, militant and energetic rap duo that helped many to ‘Fight The Power’- Fear of a Black Planet (1990)
Al Green (1946) — the tapestries of R&B and gospel sewn together beautifully — I’m Still In Love With You (1972)
Mahalia Jackson (1911-1972) — Powerfully uplifting and soul stirring gospel at it’s finest — Move on Up A Little Higher (1947)
Dorothy Ashby (1932-1986) — Harpist with jazz in her fingers — Afro-Harping (1968)
Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996) — If I could sing, I’d sing like her! — One For My Baby (and One More For The Road) (1960)
Billie Holiday(1915-1955) — Still the standard bearer for any jazz vocalist — Lady Sings The Blues (1956)
The Fifth Dimension — Beautiful, playful harmonies and lyrics to match — The Magic Garden (1967)
Marian Anderson (1897-1993) — Philadelphia native who introduced many African Americans to the lush world of Opera.
Curtis Mayfield (1942-1999) — merged funk and soul like no one else — Superfly (1972)
Duke Ellington (1899-1974) — American music as a whole would not be the same without him — The Birth of Big Band Jazz (1926)
Marvin Gaye (1939-1984) — Lent his smooth voice to even the heaviest of issues — What’s Goin’ On (1971)
Sam Cooke(1931-1962) — If I could sing, and I were a guy, I’d want to sing like him. A Change Is Gonna Come (1964)
Nat King Cole (1919-1965) — if velvet could sing, it would sound like Nat King Cole — Mona Lisa (1950)

Wyndmoor firefigters, United Cerebral Palsy pitch in for St. Christopher’s With a relationship spanning over a decade, United Cerebral Palsy staff and Wyndmoor firefighters are at it again. Thanks to gracious individuals, and a generous donation from O’Doodles toy store in Chestnut Hill, UCP of Philadelphia along with Wyndmoor Hose Company were able to collect hundreds of dollars worth of toys to deliver to the Stuart J. Hulnick MD Burn Center at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children. On Martin Luther King Day, Jan. 19, Wyndmoor hosted United Cerebral Palsy of Philadelphia’s children program volunteers at the fire station for a morning of community service activities. Beyond the donated toys, games, and puzzles the organizations were able to acquire, the firefighters assisted the children of UCP in creating a decorative “Get Well” banner for the burn center’s playroom all in the spirit of the “King Day of Service.” When a firefighter from Wyndmoor reached out to Fran O’Donnell, owner of Odoodles, O’Donnell was extremely interested to get involved in the festivities. It took just seconds to explain the event and he immediately assembled boxes of toys and arts and crafts materials, to be picked up and used to create the banner. Chief Fran DePaul of Wyndmoor Hose Company said, “UCP reached out to us in November about partnering on a service project for Martin Luther King Day. We quickly began discussions with local community leaders about the event, and before we could hang up the phone, Fran O’Donnell was asking us how soon we could have someone available to pickup boxes.” Firefighters also presented a fire safety demonstration, a tour of the facility and apparatus, and hands-on demonstrations to all the volunteers involved.

Changing roles at Maternal Wellness Center

Kathleen Furin

Since its inception, Maternal Wellness Center has provided excellent care and support. Over 2000 pregnant and parenting women and teens across Philadelphia have benefited from the many programs MWC offers. Whether it’s a childbirth education class, a yoga class, a new moms support group, a breastfeeding program, or perhaps simply a referral for services; MWC has been a trusted resource to the Philadelphia community.

Kathleen Furin, one of the founding mothers of MWC and the current director, has been the woman building these programs and making sure they are delivered to as many women and teens as possible. The services she provides span across economic lines, reaching women unable to afford the services they rightly deserve, and educating teens about how these services can improve their pregnancy, birth, and future parenting relationship with their baby.
Ms. Furin has been a busy woman and the demand for continued services, spreading across the Philadelphia area and into high schools and community centers, grows daily.

As programs and services grow, the administrative and fundraising demands of running a non-profit grow as well. “I’m continually pulled away from doing what I really want to do,” said Furin. “I started this center because I wanted to provide holistic perinatal services. I wanted to develop good programs and be the one to deliver them.”

In order to carve out more time to develop programs and provide services, Ms. Furin has named a new executive director for the center. “I’m pleased to have Laura in this position, I think she’ll help stabilize the agency and move us forward.”

Laura House-Kelly will be the Center’s new executive director as of Feb. 1. House-Kelly holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan and previously worked at the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center both as a clinician and administrator. Most recently, Ms. House-Kelly has provided grant-writing and fundraising services to a variety of non-profits in the Boston area. She is the mother of two and came to MWC two years ago to join the board of directors.

“I’m thrilled to be taking on this new role. When I had my first child there was no place like Maternal Wellness Center,” House-Kelly said. “I had a very challenging birth and transition to motherhood. I know I would have benefited greatly from these services, if only they had existed.”

House-Kelly has already begun transitioning into her new role. “I’m casting a wide net to build our board of directors and improve our fundraising efforts. I’m also looking forward to working with Kathy and the board to begin a strategic planning process.”
“I’m looking forward to working with Laura,” said Furin. “She understands MWC’s mission and is dedicated to our success.”

To make a donation to MWC, mail checks to 606 Carpenter Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19119.
For information about services, call 215-713-2666.