And by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. Thank you. Grammy nominee Jonathan Butler has always used music to bring people together, performing first in his native south africa during the height of apartheid, and a move to the u. K. Began his international career. His last cd is called merry you. Mas to im pleased to say in just a few minutes, i will stop talking. He is going to perform not one, but two songs from the new project, oh, holy night and little drummer boy. Always an honor to have you on the set. Always good to see you. Tavis have you been to south africa lately . Tavis, i have been home so much. It has been incredible. I have hosted safaris. I take americans to see my country. I enlighten them about south africa. I launched my foundation, Jonathan Butler foundation, while i was out there. It has been a crazy time of traveling. Tavis the work of the foundation is focused on what specifically . Is focused on music education, Music Therapy, and also drug abuse prevention. In our townships and our areas, drug killing of people in south africa. We have local governments from johannesburg largely partnered with us. Nowave almost 100 children and teachers in the classrooms in schools. I will be spending more time at home going into townships, talking about my drug experiences, talking about music, and all of that stuff. It is an awesome project that we have been able to found an launch after 20 years of trying. Tavis two things before i move on when i ask about the work of the foundation, one of the missions was Music Therapy. What do you mean when you say Music Therapy . The school of music is in pretoria. It is one of the most, oldest townships. It is a township that has never been recognized, even noticed. A lot of the kids are from broken homes or really devastating areas. We have found that Music Therapy is another way of helping the children cope and work through some of the issues. I have had music helped me through my life. Just living alone without my parents on the road with adults. Have professionals in that capacity to help with Music Therapy. Believe me, when i tell you cape town and johannesburg, they have a lot going on that we dont hear on the news, but kids are being killed. Kids are losing their lives. Kids are murdering their parents because of this drug situation. We have issues with drug lords taking over communities. Ahave partnered with wonderful couple, freddie and beth are. They have been working in the townships for years and years with local governments. It is actually moving forward right now. Tavis i have been reading about this. Im so glad you are doing the work you are doing. It breaks my heart. You think of all that your countrymen and women went through to break the spine of apartheid. Now, not unlike our inner cities, to be battling another war, another demon, called the drugs, its just you cant catch a break. Myi stood with guests on safari. We have done it for three years. I took guests into the township and into where workers come in south africa. We had 20 people in one room. That was the size of the room. At least four families were living if you see four beds in the room, that is for families. Tavis not for people, for families. Yes. It has become there is economic apartheid not apartheid there is a whole mother struggle. There is so much wealth in south africa, and yet, there are so much poverty. Tavis i saw you cut yourself, and i understand why. That is exactly what it is. The rich of don richard. Poor people are still struggling. It is a young democracy now. We dont have an excuse here in the united states. We are still dealing with colored blacks and whites in south africa. The colored community is a culture. It is a way of life. It is a term that america doesnt use. You know, for me, having lived here and raising my children in america, when i come to america, im black. When i go to south africa, im colored. Ands a whole weird way, yet, i found the music. A relationship has made me new creation. Therefore, i kind of look beyond that and try to speak for everything and for everyone, as opposed to just, hey, im doing this for the colored community. Tavis im laughing on the inside. Im afraid to ask what they call you in london, the midway point. [laughter] what are you in london . I dont even know what i am in london. Say, ims i british, not english. That is what i call myself. Tavis fair enough. [laughter] the other thing i wanted to ask due performing a little bit later, and we will talk about the record do you mind picking up your guitar . I have another jonathan. I have a friend named jonathan. When you walk in, and i saw this guitar, that things beautiful. I have never seen Something Like it. This is wood . It is african. It is a rare guitar. I can take each part apart and put it back together. It is african wood and canadian spruce. He is a South African builder. I think this guy is one of the premier builders in south africa. He said, listen, do you want to try this guitar . He put the amp up there. I plugged it in. I just fell in love with it. He built me two. Im kind of promoting my buddies guitar. There are some great builders there. Tavis it sounds good. It looks great, and it sounds good. I feel if i dress better, at least people can talk about my guitar. [laughter] if i sound bad, the guitar is what they talk about. Tavis the guitar is gorgeous. Son, polish your shoes. You need a shoeshine. Tavis let me switch to the new project, Merry Christmas to you. Im always fascinated by artists who at various points in their careers decide they want to do a christmas cd. What motivated you doing this at this point in your life . Carr, i have dave been on the road within 10 years doing his christmas shows, and i was always the only artist after the show was over sitting at the cd signing table with no christmas record. [laughter] everybody asked me, where is yours . I sang oh, holy night and little drummer boy. A recordnd of like breaking cd. It is the first record in my whole career that i did in one week. I got off a cruise ship, and i started the record on a saturday. I finished it on a saturday. I was like, ive never made a record so quickly. Simpled to make the song , and i wanted to keep it personal and make it about the voice and guitar. You will hear when i play. When you check out the cd, it is mostly me and my voice and the guitar. No strings. There are a couple of songs that have production on them. Dave koss plays on it, rick braun. It is mostly intimate. Tavis im glad you said that. I got the project. I heard that great an interest to hear these two tracks live. I40 for the cd. It is what i love most about you, what your hardcore fans like most about you, that you can make it work with a lot of production, but you can also make it work with just your voice and just this acoustic sound. That is what makes it so beautiful, that you are just as good strippeddown as you are with all the production. That is a wonderful gift. Old, 2030 51 years records later, i think i also like when im sitting at home and im playing i like the simple, the strippeddown stuff, as opposed to my band is real small. I dont have horns or two keyboard players. I dont use tracks. A lot of artists use tracks with their shows so they can sound full. I likeople kind of to hear people just play. The guitar, thats it. Tavis Everybody Knows im a big fan. Can i put you on the spot . Im putting you on the spot, but also, you can perceive this as a warmup. Just to make this point about how beautiful you are stripped down, will you play just a little bit of falling in love . Sure. Falling in love with jesus falling in love with jesus falling in love with jesus was the best thing that i ever done tavis this is why i love you, man. [laughter] you hit it right on the spot and make it sound so sweet. Wonder, arch, stevie friend of both of ours, he was at our church not long ago, and people saw him coming in. The pastor asked stevie if he wouldnt mind coming up and singing something. Stevie came up and said in front of the whole church, i wish i had written the song. He said, i love this song. It is played in my spirit. You can go to youtube and see it. He killed that thing. He loves her son. I had to tell my church i go to the dream center i had to tell the pastor, stevie sang it. I had to get up and sing it. I said, i know Stevie Wonder sing the song, but i wrote it. [laughter] you owe stevie something. , on. Come on. It is such an honor, man. I sing like this. I feel like this because stevie has really inspired me. Stevie, Donny Hathaway, those are the people that really inspired me. Tavis how did you get inspired to choose the tracks on the new christmas cd . , ilittle drummer boy always do that live. I do it very strippeddown. I sit on the drum beat the drum, as i used to do as a kid. I wanted to make it more south pe, give it aty different flavor. It has been done in so many ways. I thought all the songs needed to have a little touch of home. That is my identity. I feel like i need to always bring that through the music. The Donny Hathaway song, its christmas, i kind of do a different twist. I didnt really think about how i sounded. People have got to hear you rock. You raw. People have got to hear you hoarse. Just let it out. There are so many records that are perfect. The artist always tries to sing perfect every line, every syllable. I just wanted to bring a little bit of home flavor to this album. Unless you are having a spectacular week, youre not only good to be Pitch Perfect every day, seven days what i did, i plugged this guitar into one channel, and i plugged the vocal and the other channel, and i handed left and right so they dont bleed into each other. I just roll the tape, and i sang ruled the tape, and i sing from start to finish. ,. I kind of did that. By saturday, i was done. I told my Record Company president s, i said, look, i want to send you something. Tell me what you think. He called me a couple days later and said, man, play us no well. Noel. Thank god. I was like, i will put it out on youtube if you want play it. The label really supported it. Im really blessed. There are a couple of pictures on there. You see a picture of my wife and me when we were engaged. Tavis you have a beautiful family and a beautiful story. Im so glad that you are doing well and that your countrymen are going to be all right, as well. Im telling you, im so proud. I think eventually i need to have a little room in cape town so i can go home. It is beautiful out there. Tavis one of my Favorite Places in the whole world. If they ever kicked me out of here, it is possible [laughter] i dont think so. Tavis its possible. I might be in cape town. The new project from Jonathan Butler is called Merry Christmas to you. We are fortunate and blessed we have artie had one song now he is really going to set it off with two songs from the new project. Jonathan, congratulations. Thank you. Tavis we look forward to hearing you in just a second. Jonathan butler live, stay with us. Tavis we conclude our holiday show with Jonathan Butler singing oh, holy night and little drummer boy. Thanks for watching. Enjoy. As always, keep the faith. Come they told me pa rum pum pum pum a new born king to see pa rum pum pum pum our finest gifts we bring pa rum pum pum pum to lay before the king pa rum pum pum pum rum pum pum pum rum pum pum pum when we come boy a poor pa rum pum pum pum i have no gifts to bring pa rum pum pum pum to lay before the king pa rum pum pum pum rum pum pum pum rum pum pum pum on my drum i am a poor boy pa rum pum pum pum i have no gifts to bring pa rum pum pum pum to lay before the king pa rum pum pum pum i have no gifts to bring pa rum pum pum pum rum pum pum pum rum pum pum pum me and my drum rum pum pum pum rum pum pum pum rum pum pum pum rum pum pum pum rum pum pum pum me and my drum rum pum pum pum i have no gifts to bring pa rum pum pum pum to lay before the king pa rum pum pum pum rum pum pum pum rum pum pum pum rum pum pum pum rum pum pum pum rum pum pum pum rum pum pum pum me and my drum rum pum pum pum rum pum pum pum rum pum pum pum rum pum pum pum rum pum pum pum rum pum pum pum [applause] oh, holy night the stars are brightly shining it is the night of our dear saviors birth long lay the world in sin and error pining till he appeared and the soul felt its worth a thrill of hope the weary soul rejoices for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn fall on your knees oh, hear the angel voices oh, night divine oh, night when christ was born oh, night divine oh, night, oh, night divine fall on your knees oh, hear the angel voices oh, night divine oh, night when christ was born oh, night divine oh, night, oh, night divine oh, night, oh, night divine [applause] thank you onfor more information todays show, visit tavis smiley at pbs. Org. Tavis im tavis smiley. Join me next time for a conversation with actor Wendell Pierce about the return of treme on hbo. We will see you then. And by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. Thank you. Be more. Pbs. Tonight on quest shes spent much of the last five decades exploring and protecting the worlds oceans. Find out why Legendary Marine biologist sylvia earle thinks we may have only a few years eft to save what she calls the blue heart of the planet. And its one of historys most enduring questions are we alone . See why a radical new Radio Telescope being built near mount shasta may be closer than you think to finding the answer. Major funding for quest is provided by
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