Displaced by War, United by Music

March 29, 2007 — -- They are known as Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars, a group of 12 musicians who came together under the most trying circumstances.

During the 1990s, the citizens of Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, may have lived a sheltered existence, free from the civil war that was raging throughout the countryside of their West African nation.

It was not to last.

Thousands of lives changed in 1999, when rebels attacked the city and incited a mass exodus. Forced from their homes, the future band members came together like so many others. Most of them did not yet know each other when they were living in refugee camps in neighboring Guinea.

What drew them together? After watching the documentary film "Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars" directed by Zach Niles and Banker White, you might say it was love for God, love for their country and, above all, love for music.

On their way to tour Australia, four members of the band sat down with ABC News' Mike Lee in London. The band members told their tragic stories, which are sadly familiar to thousands of their countrymen.

A 19-year-old rapper and vocalist who goes by the name Black Nature lost his parents to murder. In contrast to the playful and childlike rapper featured in the film, a somber Black Nature said, "When the war broke out, I fled to a refugee camp in Guinea. My father was killed by the rebels and my mother was killed. I run away. I was at the age of 10 when the war broke out. Then I went through Guinea to the refugee camp."

In broken English, singer Efuah Grace said of her loss, "I love my family. In 1997 in the middle of the civil war. … They were killed."

Yet in the midst of the sorrow and loss, love, as it sometimes does, found a way to interrupt the misery.

Lead singer Reuben Koroma took a liking to Grace when he met her in a camp in Guinea. Grace, as she's known, insisted on a three-month courtship, after which she said she would help Koroma get through the trauma he'd sustained after losing his family. Now, as his wife and band mate, Grace appears to have made good on her promise to help, even if she may never be able to heal.

"She's part of me," Koroma said.

At the request of the United Nations, the All Stars, though still living as refugees, performed in refugee camps throughout Guinea.

The All Stars still partner with the United Nations and ask those who wish to make a change to visit www.ninemillion.org, a Web site that seeks to raise attention for the 9 million children who are currently living as refugees.

Because, as the band sings on the title track of its CD so simply and so poignantly, "Living like a refugee … is not easy."

Vocalist Ashade Pearce said, "The refugee camp was terrible. Every day you see dead bodies."

Since returning to their homes in Sierra Leone and following the movie's release, the All Stars have had a change in fortune. They have performed their Afro-folk-reggae music on Oprah Winfrey's show and are now backed by none other than ex-Beatle Paul McCartney.

They have recorded with Joe Perry and Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, and are scheduled to tour the United States later this year.

Their CD, "Living Like a Refugee," is in stores now and while the documentary has had a limited release, it is scheduled to air on PBS in June.

Have all of the fame and attention altered their focus? Not at all, according to Koroma. "We [still] play for refugee camps like Liberia refugee camps. … We play for them for nothing."

In spite of the notoriety, Koroma reveals that the band has yet to strike it rich by U.S. standards. "We wish we could play for all the refugees, but we don't have enough funds to fly to those places," he said.

One can only hope their fortunes take a turn yet again. After all, Koroma has a plan for world peace. He said with passion, "We are going to write powerful songs that will move the spirit of man to stop war."

According to him, "We are living evidence to prove to the world that war can never be a problem solver."

The world should listen to Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars.

Check out "All Together Now" on ABC News Now for the complete interview and music from Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars.