One way to look at Gil Scott-Heron’s passing in late May is that we were lucky to have him around for 62 years. An even better way to understand him is through his own words. In our November 2007 issue, we were fortunate to run Don Geesling’s conversation with the poet and musician.

I played for Shirley Chisholm, I played for Ken Gibson, I played for anybody who was trying to do something positive for black people—just count me in and I’ll be there,” Scott-Heron says.