Poet and songwriter, Gil Scott-Heron, died on Friday at the age of 62. Scott-Heron was passed away in a New York hospital, after he had fallen ill while travelling in Europe.
While Gil Scott-Heron is most known for his song "The Revolution will not be Televised," he was a fairly prolific artist releasing 13 albums between 1970 and 1982. His last album, I'm New Here, was released to critical acclaim in 2010.
Over the years, Scott-Heron struggled with drug abuse and was HIV positive. He was raised by his maternal grandmother in Jackson, Tennessee, but spent the bulk of his adult life living in New York City.
In addition to being a poet, songwriter, and musician, Gil Scott-Heron was an activist on issues such as apartheid, Palestinian rights, nuclear weapons, and black rights. His father, Gilbert "Gil" Heron, was a professional soccer player from Jamaica who was the first black player to play for Celtic in Scotland.
In addition to his 15 studio albums, Gil Scott-Heron released 9 live albums, a murder mystery, and 4 books of poetry. He has a fifth book of poems that has not been published, yet.
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