海角大神

Musically, a baritone鈥檚 range rests between that of a bass or tenor 鈥� the most common of the three male voice types.

James Earl Jones was no middling nor common man. He was a vocal lion who became a voice of reason for not only an industry, but at moments, a nation. His range, expanded and perfected through adversity and the arts, was evident in how he voiced tragic father figures 鈥� Mufasa in 鈥淭he Lion King鈥� and 鈥淪tar Wars鈥� premier antagonist, Darth Vader.

When he revived Frederick Douglass鈥� fiery Fourth of July social commentary, 鈥淲hat to the Slave Is the Fourth of July,鈥� he gave modern relevance to the centuries鈥� old challenge of Black freedom and equality in America. Mr. Jones, who died Monday at age 93, even toed the line between royalty and working man in Black cinema 鈥� both as Eddie Murphy鈥檚 father, the King of Zamunda, in 鈥淐oming To America,鈥� and Diahann Carroll鈥檚 husband in 鈥淐laudine.鈥�

It was a life which started in Northern Mississippi in the early 1930s, in the throes of the Great Depression. At the age of 5, Mr. Jones moved to Michigan with his maternal grandparents, a transition so stunning that it left him with a pronounced stutter.

鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 that I stopped talking; it鈥檚 that I resolved that talking was too difficult,鈥� Mr. Jones said in a 1996 interview fittingly named 鈥淭he Voice of Triumph.鈥� 鈥淵ou see, in the move from Mississippi to Michigan, you would think it would be a jubilant journey for a young boy of 鈥� I was then five years old 鈥� going to the promised land, you know. For me though, it was leaving the soil that I had touched with my bare feet, and I didn鈥檛 know if I鈥檇 ever touch soil with my bare feet again, and that was traumatic for me.鈥�

He was healed through the arts, and credited an English teacher for revealing a gift of poetry. From there, Mr. Jones became a Michigan man, and cut his teeth through Shakespearean performances, the likes of Othello and King Lear. His presence lent gravity to everything from 鈥淭he Hunt for Red October鈥� to his unforgettable sportswriter in 鈥淔ield of Dreams.鈥�

But he left his mark with two otherworldly performances 鈥� the monochromatic villain with the brooding voice in 鈥淪tar Wars,鈥� and the booming presence over Pride Rock, both in life and in death. 鈥淣o, I am your father,鈥� Darth Vader told his son, Luke. It was a line that could have translated very well to 鈥淭he Lion King.鈥� Mr. Jones鈥� posthumous words as Mufasa helped his wayward son find his way back 鈥� 鈥淩emember who you are. You are my son, and the one true king.鈥�

Saying Mr. Jones was a pioneer would be an understatement. He wasn鈥檛 just a trailblazing African American artist. He was a standard-bearer in terms of his range and professionalism, which yielded an honorary Oscar, a special Tony for lifetime achievement, and the renaming of a Broadway theater. He was one of the few performers to hold an EGOT 鈥� becoming the first person to win two Emmys in the same year, plus a Grammy, an honorary Oscar, and three Tony awards.

His legacy as a voice of reason is a reminder of what we might overcome when we face our trauma and find our purpose. Mr. Jones鈥� voice isn鈥檛 just one of conscience or a voice for trusted news. It is a well of dignity, a reservoir of resonance that echoes not only from his career, but in all of us who heard him as well.