Atlanta Soul Singer To Honor Music Of Civil Rights Movement

Atlanta soul singer Kipper Jones is paying tribute to some of his heroes this week.

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The musician is putting on a concert he’s calling “Respect Yourself: The Music of a Movement,” which will celebrate the great musical contributions of African-Americans during the civil rights movement.

The evening will honor Congressman John Lewis and feature Congressman Hank Johnson as an honorary speaker.

“It’s really my contention that the unsung hero of the civil rights movement was actually the music,” Jones tells “City Lights” host Lois Reitzes. “There were people like Fannie Lou Hamer who were known for their singing of these songs that held, not just a power in their lyric or delivery, but power over how people actually related to these songs. There would be confrontation with very violent situations that was thoroughly de-escalated by the singing of these songs. And then the people were empowered who were singing them to keep moving. These songs were inspirational, motivational and absolutely spiritual.”

Kipper Jones’ “Respect Yourself: The Music of a Movement” will be at City Winery  at 8 p.m. Thursday.