((PKG)) PRISON MUSIC
((Banner: Jailhouse Blues))
((Reporter/Camera: Mike O’Sullivan))
((Adapted by: Bronwyn Benito))
((Map: United States / California / Norco))
((NATS))
((Wayne Kramer, Co-Founder, Jail Guitar Doors))
Art is the most powerful thing that I know of, to combat the negative effects of life in one of these penitentiaries.
((Raymond Malachi Embry, Inmate Musician))
If I didn’t have a way to have an outlet, I would feel tense and bitter and clogged up. Here with this program, I’m at ease, I’m relaxed, I’m of value to this planet. I’m able to give more than what I’ve been taking.
((Montrell Harrell, Inmate Musician))
It opens your mind, opens your heart, and I think this class should be mandatory for everyone to take. It changes everything. It changes the way you think. I’ve been a lot happier. This class has changed me. I can say it changed my life.
((Raymond Malachi Embry, Inmate Musician))
Not only the tragedies that one has in life, but also the accomplishments. For me, they have to be expressed through music.
((Wayne Kramer, Co-Founder, Jail Guitar Doors))
In 1970’s, I served a prison term and while I was in prison, it became clear to me that music was crucial, in not only surviving, but in learning how to thrive.
((Raymond Malachi Embry, Inmate Musician))
It builds your soul up, big time.
((Osmar Castro, Inmate Musician))
When I’m inside this class and I’m contributing with my fellow inmates, I feel free, to be honest with you, and I find it very, very intriguing how we’re able to come together. A lot of us don’t know each other, we don’t hang around, but when we come in this class, it just feels like we’re a unit. We’re a team.
((Montrell Harrell, Inmate Musician))
There’s guys I wouldn’t even talk to on the yard. But we come in here and make incredible music, and you build relationships.
((Wayne Kramer, Co-Founder, Jail Guitar Doors))
We can talk about anybody and anything, but we cannot use racist humor, or sexist humor. We have to treat each other with dignity and respect.
((Montrell Harrell, Inmate Musician))
Working with different people, different races, different backgrounds, it’s amazing. It changes you, it changes your thought process.
((Raymond Malachi Embry, Inmate Musician))
People would probably think that the diversity would separate, and unfortunately, in the prison system here in California, it does do that. We’re intended to be separate. You have your different cultures and stuff, or different cliques. However, when we all come in here, the diversity turns into unity.
((Osmar Castro, Inmate Musician))
It just works, for some reason, we come in here, we’ll argue for about an hour about a song, and then it seems like at the last moment we just pull together. And it comes out pretty good. It’s the camaraderie.
((Wayne Kramer, Co-Founder, Jail Guitar Doors))
All prison politics stay out on the yard. And in our workshop, it’s a safe space. And the men appreciate that, have a chance to be human beings, to be just regular guys. Guys that love doing music together.
((Raymond Malachi Embry, Inmate Musician))
That’s the clique for me. That’s what I get down with.
