File this under: "People You Don't Hear About Until They're Dead"

Odetta was a pretty influential folk singer who has a pretty interesting story that is definitely worth a read. She was hoping to sing at Barack Obama's inauguration, but she never will get that chance. Why? Because she just died.

World Aids Awareness Day

I thought it would be fitting to see how musicians around the world are using their talents to benefit society by raising funds for finding a cure as well as increasing AIDs awareness to hopefully rid the stigma surrounding it and ultimately save lives.

From Senegal, we have Baaba Mal, a singer.

Then we have what's left of Queen reaching out to the Ukraine.

Then there's Sheryl Lee Ralph and of course, out own beloved, if not sometimes slightly misguided MTV.

Miriam Makeba

A pretty famous non-Western singer from South Africa just died recently. I shared an article about her with some people in the class, but figured I'd post something here so the rest of you could see it.