In his seven-decade long career, Harry Belafonte is known for his hit recordings, groundbreaking motion pictures, and activism on behalf of equal rights and other causes. In this two-part lecture, we will look at his recording career, which began in the jazz nightclubs of New York City and then circumnavigating the world. We will learn how Belafonte abandoned a promising career as a jazz singer to take on the more meaningful work of a folk music scholar, capturing the lively flavor and romance of the West Indies. He expanded upon it by seeking out songs from many world cultures and introducing them to audiences via his records and personal appearances. These lectures will trace the sources for Belafonte's most popular songs, as well as explore his journeys into prison work songs, blues, spirituals, and music forms from other countries as well the United States. (These lectures can be taken independently of each other.)

Part 1: The Reluctant King of Calypso - 1949 - 1959
In Part 1, we trace Harry Belafonte’s early career, from a pop/jazz stylist to folk music preservationist. In the process, he begins exploring music of the West Indies and has an unlikely series of pop hits, including “Jamaica Farewell” and “Day-O” that threaten to upstage the booming rock & roll movement. This class concludes with Belafonte’s triumphant 1959 concert at Carnegie Hall.

Part 2: Global Carnival Ambassador - 1960 - 1998
Harry Belafonte spends the rest of his musical career delving into other forms of traditional American folk as well as world music, introducing new artists such as Miriam Makeba, Odetta, and Nana Mouskouri to the American public, but mostly focusing his career on the burgeoning civil rights movement. Special attention will be paid to his monumental work: “The Long Road to Freedom,” documenting the history of African American music in the United States, a project that went unreleased for 40 years.
(These lectures can be taken independently.)

Cary Ginell is a Grammy-nominated writer and author of 12 books on American music. After a 30-year career in radio, he has spent the last 20 years as a public speaker, talking about music in classrooms, at conferences, and on cruise ships. Cary brings a lifelong passion for the recording industry to his work and is one of the world’s foremost authorities on his specialty, western swing. Cary previously served as President of the Association for Recorded Sound Collections, an international organization of music scholars and world-renowned institutions. He holds a master’s degree in Folklore from UCLA and a bachelor’s in Radio/TV/Film from Cal State University Northridge.

Fifty and Better was designed to offer university-level courses and lectures (no tests, no homework) taught by experts in the field, and to host social engagement activities for individuals age 50 and older.