“About a hundred people sang ‘Amazing Grace’ in honor of The Champ on Sunday afternoon at the Muhammad Ali Center, in a tribute Louisville Orchestra Conductor Teddy Abrams said was to celebrate a life that was ‘a symbol of leadership and courage,’ ” writes Kirsten Clark in Sunday’s (6/5) Courier-Journal (Louisville, Ky.). Ali, who died on June 3 of this year, was born in Louisville in 1942. “Abrams led the hymn on keyboard in front of a memorial of flowers, balloons and boxing gloves that fans had left following Muhammad Ali’s death late Friday night. Abrams, joined by Jecorey ‘1200’ Arthur and jazz singer Carly Johnson, played several other songs for the crowd following the familiar hymn, including ‘Summertime’ and ‘What a Wonderful World.’ Among the crowd, Ray Runion hugged his 11-year-old son Dezzmon.… Runion and his sons talked about the boxing legend all week after hearing news of Ali’s declining health.… Dezzmon added: ‘He was always the greatest, and he fought like a champ.’ ” Included is a brief video of the performance as well as Abrams’s thoughts on music’s role in healing communities.
Posted June 7, 2016
