Anthony Hawkins, Tyrone Hite (d.2004) Charles Hawkins and I created Black Merda in 1968.

We were the first black rock band to write and create our own unique style of funk and rock music in the late 1960s. Our music has been called funk rock, black rock, psych-funk, psychedelic and host of other names

because we didn't limit ourselves to any particular style of music, and wanted to be creative and original as well as socially conscious, in our aprroach to music. All that matter to us was whether we liked it or not. If we liked it, we played it and recorded it.

We released our eponymous album "Black Merda" on the legendary Chess records label in 1970. Our second album "Long Burn The Fire" was released in 1972 on Janus/GRT label. Neither album was properly promoted or received significant airplay.

But with the reissuing of our albums by TuffCity records around 2001 a surge of interest became focused on Black Merda, our history and contribution to black rock, funk and rock music in general.

In 2005 "Lyin" a track from our 1972 album "Long Burn The Fire" was sampled by Ja Rule for the song "Exodus Intro" on his "Exodus" album .

One of our signature songs "Cynthy-Ruth" (written by me) was included in a list of the "One Hundred Greatest Songs Ever" compiled by the Detroit Metrotimes in 2007 (Heron, W. Kim. Gallert, Jim. Holdship, Bill. Hurtt, Michael. Smith, Brian. Turner, Khary kimani. Waller, Don. Wasacz, Wallter."The 100 Greatest Detroit Songs Ever!" Featuring Black Merda's Cynthy-Ruth, at number 100The Detroit Metrotimes, Page 32, November 21-27, 2007.)

The unique thing about that is, that song never really got much airplay. So to be included in a list of great songs that included Motown classics was quite an honor indeed!

In August 2009 "Cynthy-Ruth" was also featured in the HBO documentary "The Nine Lives Of Marion Barry" about the former controversial mayor of Washington, DC (Flor, Dana, Oppenheimer, Toby. "The Nine Lives Of Marion Barry" HBO, August 10, 2009, 9am est.)

Kanye West sampled "Cynthy-Ruth" for the track "Teriya King" on the "Serious Japanese" album he produced on Japanese rappers The Teriyaki Boyz in Jan 2009.

A live video of Black Merda performing an updated version of "Cynthy-Ruth" in 2008 is featured below, as well a video featuring the original 1970 version Of "Cynthy-Ruth.

I've also included a few videos of tracks from our classic albums posted on youtube by our fans for your viewing and listening pleasure as well.

For a more detailed history of "Black Merda" checkout the article on Black Merda on wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Merda

and also checkout our website http://www.blackmerda.com

and our myspace site

http://www.myspace.com/blackmerdamusic.

Checkout Black Merda On Jango Radio

http://www.jango.com/music/Black+Merda

Until the next time,

As the farmer told the potato

plant cha now and dig ya later!