THE   LOVE   MOVEMENT
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"The Love Movement was born in 1972, the brainchild of Bernadette Laughlin-Scott, as a way of spicing up her performances at the Trinidad Country Club's Annual Concert. Scott had been an avid pianist and singer from the age of 7, listing music and Jesus as her favourite things. She invited a few girls from her church choir to perform at the concert, much to the delight of the audience. In 1973 the Love Movement, all 15 of them, staged their first concert in th Holy Name Convent Hall. The show, entitled Love Must be the Reason, raised funds for the poor. After winning the May Johnstone Memorial Trophy at the 1974 edition of the music festival, Scott was advised by adjudicators to go abroad for formal vocal training. Her parents were unable to make the financial committment, so Scott decided to improve her vocal ability herself, using her records of famous classical singers for tutelage. She also put her heart and soul into making the Love Movement a muscial force to be reckoned with. In the early years they sang everything from pop to religious to calypso, then moving into light classical when the Love Movement became a mixed voice choir in 1975. While they were doing their part to help the less fortunate, Scott began to have misgivings about how much of a difference the Love Movement was making to the lives of ordinary Trinis. "I felt as if I was not doing enough to touch people's hearts and feed the hunger in their souls" she said. As if in answer to the devout Catholic's prayers, she happened to see a performance by the Continental Singers - a non-denominational group advancing Christianity through the performing arts - and was inspired to change her life and the direction the Love Movement would take. In 1986 the Love Movement presented their first gospel musical Dreamer - the most successful and highly acclaimed production to date. The Love Movement spread their wings further, appearing with the All Stars Orchestra, performing at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York, while touring the United States and the Caribbean. In 1991, they introduced their Youth Outreach Programme. Their annual concerts on the Brian Lara Promenade also presented a chance for the memebers of the Love Movement to extend a hand of friendship, love and support to the less fortunate." (Unknown Writer, November 2015)
Compiled by Ronald C. Emrit