My City January 2022

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Sharing the Music of Africa BY PETER HINTERMAN ® PHOTOS PROVIDED BY HEATHER MAXWELL

rom her ‡rst enthusiastic “hello” to her closing “stay beautiful and stay safe,” Heather Maxwell’s love for African music and culture ‡lls each and every episode

ere, people view music as a natu- ral extension of being human.” Broadcasting across the entire African continent, “Music Time in Africa” is the longest running En- glish program produced by Voice of America (VOA), the United States’ largest international broadcaster. Started in 1965, the program broad- casts traditional and contemporary African music throughout the conti- nent, spanning all genres and styles.

And, since 2012, the voice of the program has belonged to Maxwell, Flint native and ethnomusicologist. “‘Music Time in Africa’ is a special- ty music program that broadcasts in English to approximately 17 million listeners across Africa,” she explains. “In 1965, when the program started, Africa had no established radio pro- grams or stations and many believed that it was important for the coun- try to have music by Africans. 

of “Music Time in Africa” as well as every day of her life. “I love the rhythm of African music and how it is used and appreciated in the community,” she says. “For Africans, music is a very communal thing.

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