Biography
Gilbert Scott-Heron was born on April 1, 1949, in Chicago, Illinois, to a distinguished but unconventional family.[1] His mother, Bobbie Scott, was a professional opera singer and teacher, while his father, Gil Heron, was a Jamaican-born footballer who became the first Black player for Celtic F.C. in Glasgow, Scotland.[1][2] When his parents divorced during his early childhood, Scott-Heron was sent to live with his grandmother, Lillie Scott, in Jackson, Tennessee, a civil rights activist and musician who profoundly shaped his artistic and political consciousness by introducing him to the piano and the poetry of Langston Hughes.[1][2] At age 12, following his grandmother's death, he relocated to the Bronx to live with his mother, where he enrolled at DeWitt Clinton High School before earning a full scholarship to the prestigious Fieldston School, one of only five Black students in his class—an experience that cultivated the bold, confrontational style that would define his later work.[1]
Scott-Heron's artistic trajectory bridged literature and music seamlessly. He attended Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, partly because Langston Hughes was an alumnus, where he met Brian Jackson and formed the band Black & Blues.[1] After two years, he took time off to write his first novels, The Vulture and The Nigger Factory, before pursuing graduate studies at Johns Hopkins University, where he earned an M.A. in creative writing in 1972.[1] His recording career launched in 1970 with the album Small Talk at 125th and Lenox, which established his signature fusion of jazz, blues, and soul with spoken-word delivery addressing social and political issues.[1] Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Scott-Heron became renowned as a jazz poet and social critic, fusing funk, jazz, and spoken word into politically charged commentary that challenged systemic racism, consumerism, and imperialism.[4] He maintained a teaching career as a full-time lecturer at the University of the District of Columbia while sustaining his prolific music career, releasing over fifteen albums before his death on May 27, 2011, in New York.[1][6]
Fun Facts
- Scott-Heron was born on April Fools' Day (April 1), which he would later reference with characteristic wit in his work.
- At his Fieldston School admissions interview, when asked how he would feel seeing a classmate arrive in a limousine while he took the subway, he responded with the boldness that would define his career: 'Same way as you. Y'all can't afford no limousine. How do you feel?'
- Many of his most famous songs, including 'The Revolution Will Not be Televised,' began as poems that he later adapted into musical compositions.
- Despite not completing his undergraduate degree at Lincoln University, Scott-Heron went on to earn a Master's degree in creative writing from Johns Hopkins University, demonstrating his commitment to intellectual rigor alongside his musical career.
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Langston Hughes - Literary influence and inspiration for attending Lincoln University (Hughes' poetry collections; Scott-Heron cited Hughes as his most important literary influence) [1960s onward (posthumous influence)]
- Lillie Scott (grandmother) - Musical and political mentor who introduced him to piano and civil rights activism (Early musical training and political consciousness development) [1949-1961]
- Fieldston School faculty - English department head recognized his writing talent and helped secure scholarship (Literary development and high school education) [Mid-1960s]
Key Collaborators
- Brian Jackson - Primary musical collaborator and co-founder of Black & Blues band; fused jazz, blues, and soul with socially conscious lyrics (Black & Blues band; collaborative albums throughout 1970s-1980s) [1967-1980s]
- Eddie Knowles - Percussionist on debut album (Small Talk at 125th and Lenox (1970)) [1970]
- Charlie Saunders - Conga player on debut album (Small Talk at 125th and Lenox (1970)) [1970]
- David Barnes - Percussionist and vocalist on debut album (Small Talk at 125th and Lenox (1970)) [1970]
Artists Influenced
- Hip-hop and rap artists - Pioneered spoken-word delivery style that became foundational to hip-hop; influenced the genre's political consciousness (Rapping and melismatic vocal styles on albums throughout 1970s-1980s) [1970s onward]
Connection Network
Discography
Albums
| Title | Release Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Pieces of a Man | 1971-01-01 | Album |
| We're New Here | 2011-02-21 | Album |
| Reflections | 1981-03-01 | Album |
| I’m New Here (10th Anniversary Expanded Edition) | 2010-02-08 | Album |
| We're New Again - A Reimagining by Makaya McCraven | 2020-02-07 | Album |
| Free Will | 1972-01-01 | Album |
| The Shadow of Their Suns (Extended with Instrumentals) | 2021-01-08 | Album |
| Real Eyes | 1980 | Album |
| Small Talk at 125th and Lenox | 1971-01-01 | Album |
| Johannesburg | 2015-02-27 | Album |
| Moving Target | 1982 | Album |
| Nothing New | 2015-04-01 | Album |
| The Revolution Will Not Be Televised | 1974-01-01 | Album |
| Legend In His Own Mind (Live, Bremen, 1983) | 2023-07-28 | Album |
| Essential Classics, Vol. 542: Gil Scott-Heron | 2025-02-01 | Album |
Top Tracks
- The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (Pieces of a Man)
- Lady Day and John Coltrane (Pieces of a Man)
- Gun (Reflections)
- Home Is Where the Hatred Is (Pieces of a Man)
- Me and the Devil (I’m New Here (10th Anniversary Expanded Edition))
- I'll Take Care of U (We're New Here)
- I Think I'll Call It Morning (Pieces of a Man)
- NY Is Killing Me (We're New Here)
- Save the Children (Pieces of a Man)
- When You Are Who You Are (Pieces of a Man)
External Links
Heard on WWOZ
gil scott-heron has been played 5 times on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.
| Date | Time | Title | Show | Spotify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 8, 2026 | 22:26 | Winter In America | Kitchen Sinkw/ Jennifer Brady | |
| Jan 5, 2026 | 23:38 | No Knock | Kitchen Sinkw/ Derrick Freeman | |
| Dec 7, 2025 | 20:42 | Grandma's Handsfrom Reflections | Spirits of Congo Squarew/ Baba Geno | |
| Dec 3, 2025 | 17:25 | who'll pay reparations on my soul?from the very best of | Jazz from Jax Breweryw/ Al Colón | |
| Oct 7, 2025 | 01:38 | Me and the Devilfrom Me and the Devil - Single | Adjacentw/ Benny Poppins |