Latest Album

State of Emergency

by Fruit of Labor Singing Ensemble

The Fruit of Labor Singing Ensemble, our songs and music were born out of the struggle of organizing African American workers in the “Black Belt” region of North Carolina and the South. Recruited from workplace and community struggles, The “Fruit” has captured in music oppressed peoples’ and the working class’ history of community and workplace struggles.

Many folks have experienced the powerful political messaging of our lyrics bound up in soul stirring, gut wrenching blues, bouncing to a hip-hop or reggae beat or sliding in and out of a jazz melody with a little scat included. Our lyrics have also been known to get caught up in a 70’s funk beat and break it down rhythm & blues sound. They are even infused, at times, with a bit of pop flavor and, at others, a take them down to the river and lift ‘em up gospel flavor! The Fruit of Labor’s songs and music touches all because it is rooted in our people’s ageless traditions of chants, call and response, spirituals, reggae, jazz, blues, R&B, soul, folk, hip-hop and spoken word. This new CD “State of Emergency” features some of these and a fun new genre we call reggae billy. It’s an exciting mixed bag of dancing, energy, down in your bones spiritual and “fightback” coming at you!

Thanks to all our many fans, supporters, fellow freedom fighters and activists involved in the many righteous progressive workers’ rights, civil rights, environmental rights and human rights struggles who inspire us and our music! We invite you to listen to “State of Emergency”. We hope you enjoy it and it makes you get up and move and get activated!

Contact us at fruitoflaborwcc@netscape.com or (919) 231-2660 to purchase “State of Emergency”.

Visit Fruit of Labor Music Page on Reverbnation
https://www.reverbnation.com/fruitoflabor

The Fruit of Labor Singing Ensemble, their songs and music was born out of the struggle of organizing African American workers in the “Black Belt” region of North Carolina and the South. More than twenty two workers, at various times, have participated in this dynamic cultural workers organization. Recruited from workplace and community struggles, they have captured in music oppressed peoples’ and the working class’ history of community and workplace struggles.

In song, they document the tragic Hamlet Imperial Food Company fire which killed twenty five workers in 1991, the Black community of Shiloh’s fight against toxic terrorism during the late 1980’s until 2007 along with the Workers Want Fairness/Organize the South tours from 1989 to 1991 which sought to get international unions to use resources to organize southern workers. “Organize the South” was the call for justice. The United Electrical Radio and Machine Workers, the Union of Needlepoint Industrial Textile Employees (UNITE), the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) and others responded.

Fruit of Labor Singing Ensemble have been the recipient of numerous awards, including The US Human Rights Network award in 2015.

Check Youtube videos of Fruit of Labor performances: