This instrumental piece (Lucy Launch Groove) is part of NASA's Lucy Mission Soundscape. 

Lucy is the first mission to the Trojan asteroids. These primitive bodies hold vital clues to deciphering the history of the solar system.  This is a twelve year mission that is scheduled to launch on October 16, 2021.  During its twelve year mission Lucy will visit 8 asteroids, orbit the Sun three and a half times and travel 4 billion miles.

In this piece I tried to create a sound that captured a sense of sailing swiftly through space and the wonder of space exploration.

Anyone can contribute to the Lucy Soundscape. If you have original music that you would like to add to the soundscape, visit the Lucy Soundscape web page (https://www.nasa.gov/lucy-soundscape) for more information.

Copyright (C) Rich McKnight

By posting this with the #NASALucySoundscape hashtag I am granting NASA a free, unlimited use license.

For everyone else this work is licensed under Creative Commons  Attribution, Non Commercial Share Alike (CC:BY-NC-SA 4.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
#NASALucySoundscape

Lucy Launch Groove

That Incredible Day
(C) Richard McKnight 2022

Imagine that incredible day in Galveston, hearing the good news
A general delivered a message, into which hope had been infused
On that first Juneteenth, an executive order, a presidential decree
Henceforth now and forever you are free

That incredible day set off a cascading chain of events
Black citizens went to the ballot, and to congress, former slaves were sent
Families were reunited, traumatized communities were on the mend
But soon dark clouds of oppression, would troubled times portend

A contested election; a perverse and callous compromise
Arrested justice and quelled freedom's tide
No citizen should be crushed under unjust laws
Not brazen Jim Crow laws; not covertly biased laws

Once freedom has been tasted, it cannot be denied
We walked. We marched. We sat in. We took a freedom ride
Brave souls shared our journey, and our pain through harsh events
Our collective perseverance forced the hand of the president
	
That Incredible day is a candle that shines bright
A candle fueled by good trouble and a non-violent fight. 
That incredible day must not be in vain, too much sacrifice and pain
Let us work together to ensure that freedom reigns

That Incredible Day (Juneteenth 1865)

This an updated version of my Vote 2020 public service announcement with a groove. If you have already voted thank you. If not I hope that this a song will inspire you to get out and vote.

Elections Have Consequences - 2022 Midterm Edition

"We Lift our Voice" is a composition that combines the traditional elements of "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" with a spoken word element that reflects 21st century life for Black Americans.  It celebrates Black History Month 2023 in way that embodies this years theme "Black Resistance".  Enjoy

We Lift Our Voice!

Lyrics
----------------------
Long, long time ago,
Feels like yesterday,
Girl, you stepped into my world,
In such a special way.

So suddenly,
So unexpectedly,
Caught each others gravity.
Drawn to a shared destiny.

Could we build a life together?
That would last forever?

It was then I realized
I had to have you in my life.
And I knew,

Forever with you would end too soon.
I wanna be with you 'til they turn off the moon.
'Til the stars refuse to shine at night,
And the sun withholds its warmth and light.


'Til one and one and one is no longer three,
And they drain all the water out the deep blue sea.
For our enduring love,
I thank the Lord above.

Forever and ever and ever, it's you and me.


My how have the years flown by.
Still you make me smile.
So glad that your in my life,
More than you might realize.

Girl it's you and me,
Sharing life's journey.
Not always an easy road,
But we've always shared the load.

Through dark clouds and stormy weather, 
We draw strength from one another.

Each time I look at you,
I think "how extraordinary!"
And I want you to know

Forever with you would end too soon.
I wanna be with you 'til they turn off the moon.
'Til the stars refuse to light up the night,
And the sun withholds the morning light


'Til one and one and one and one and one is less than three,
And they drain all the water out the oceans and the sea.
For our enduring love,
I thank the Lord above.

Forever and ever and ever, it's you and me.

Enduring Love

Enduring Love (Forever with You)

I want to encourage everyone to vote. In a Democracy, the electorate can shape public policy by electing candidates that most closely support the policies that they want to see implemented, by wielding the power of their vote.

If you are not excited about either candidate, pick the one that "is the lesser of two evils". It is better to have a candidate that will implement some of you want than to allow a candidate that will implement none of what you want to take office.

Celebrate Democracy

Let Me Breathe!

Officer,

My melanated skin shouldn't make you nervous. Not if you're committed to public service.......
----------------
The death of George Floyd hit me so hard that I could not construct any form of prose to articulate my rage, disappointment and sense of apprehension regarding the relationship between Law Enforcement and Black Americans.

George Floyd's death was not an isolated incident as we have seen.  

This song encapsulates my frustrations, expectations and hopes regarding Law Enforcement and Black Americans.

I sincerely hope that it spurs conversations around this issue.

I also want to thank the many people who gave me feedback during the process of writing and recording this track.

Let Me Breathe!

This may be one of the most consequential elections of our lifetime. This song is a public service announcement with a groove.  If you have already voted thank you. If not I hope that this a song will inspire you to get out and vote.

Elections Have Consequences

I have been playing music on and off for over 45 years – including a disco band in high school, the Purdue Black Voice of Inspiration during my undergrad, and the University of Michigan Gospel Choir during graduate school. Since then, I’ve played for many choirs and groups.

In 1994 I took a 25 year hiatus. Then in late 2019, right before the pandemic, I decided to pursue music more seriously. As the pandemic wore on, I started writing music in response to the social unrest that was gripping our nation. I hope to continue writing music that will be thought provoking in a meaningful way.

My professional career has been spent in Engineering and Technology. In the spirit of provoking thought, I have an opinion about DEIA:

Including my time as a summer intern at Bell Labs, my professional experience dates back to the summer of 1978. As you might imagine, I have benefited from programs and initiatives aimed at encouraging underrepresented groups to pursue careers in STEM. As a professional, I have been involved in recruiting efforts focused on broadening the talent pipeline to ensure it draws from a diverse range of sources rather than being exclusionary. At no point in my career have I seen an unqualified candidate hired to meet a target. DEIA and its predecessors have always been about ensuring organizations can compete for talent across the full breadth of America.

Rich M.

Pinned to spotlight

Popular tracks