Gil Scott-Heron
1949 – 2011

Gil Scott-Heron

American soul and jazz poet, musician, and author (1949–2011)

recording artistrappertheatre directorcostume designerperforming artist
Born
1949-04-01, Chicago
Died
2011-05-27
Birthplace state
Illinois

Biography

Gilbert Scott-Heron was an American jazz poet, singer, musician and author, known for his work as a spoken-word performer in the 1970s and 1980s. His collaborative efforts with musician Brian Jackson fused jazz, blues and soul with lyrics relative to social and political issues of the time, delivered in both rapping and melismatic vocal styles. He referred to himself as a "bluesologist", his own term for "a scientist who is concerned with the origin of the blues". His poem "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised", delivered over a jazz-soul beat, is considered a major influence on hip hop music.

Occupation

Gil Scott-Heron is recorded as a recording artist, a rapper, a theatre director, a costume designer, a performing artist, a musician, a singer-songwriter, a pianist, a singer, a poet, a composer and a writer, born in Illinois (1949–2011).

Connections to Illinois

Gil Scott-Heron was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1949. Explore other notable figures from Illinois, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

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More notable figures from Illinois

Other historical figures born in Illinois, ranked by historical prominence.

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Ernest Hemingway
American author and journalist (1899–1961)
Robin Williams
Robin Williams
American actor and comedian (1951–2014)
Ray Bradbury
Ray Bradbury
American author and screenwriter (1920–2012)
Bobby Fischer
Bobby Fischer
American chess player (1943–2008)
James Watson
James Watson
American molecular biologist, geneticist, zoologist and Nobel Laureate (1928–2025)

Frequently asked about Gil Scott-Heron

Who was Gil Scott-Heron?
Gil Scott-Heron was American soul and jazz poet, musician, and author (1949–2011), born in Illinois (1949 – 2011).
When and where was Gil Scott-Heron born?
Gil Scott-Heron was born on 1949-04-01 in Chicago.
When did Gil Scott-Heron die?
Gil died on 2011-05-27.
What was Gil Scott-Heron known for?
Gil Scott-Heron is recorded as a recording artist, a rapper, a theatre director, a costume designer, a performing artist, a musician, a singer-songwriter, a pianist, a singer, a poet, a composer and a writer.
Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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