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The Blind Boys of Alabama, also billed as The Five Blind Boys of Alabama, and Clarence Fountain and the Blind Boys of Alabama, is an American gospel group. The group was founded in 1939 in
Talladega, Alabama Talladega (, also ) is the county seat of Talladega County, Alabama, United States. It was incorporated in 1835. At the 2020 census, the population was 15,861. Talladega is approximately east of one of the state’s biggest cities, Birmingham. ...
, and has featured a changing roster of musicians over its history, the majority of whom are or were vision impaired. The Blind Boys found mainstream success following their appearance in the 1983 Obie Award-winning musical ''
The Gospel at Colonus ''The Gospel at Colonus'' is an African-American musical version of Sophocles's tragedy, ''Oedipus at Colonus. '' The show was created in 1983 by the experimental-theatre director Lee Breuer, one of the founders of the seminal American avant-garde ...
''. Since then, the group has toured internationally and has performed and recorded with such artists as Prince, Lou Reed, Peter Gabriel,
Bonnie Raitt Bonnie Lynn Raitt (; born November 8, 1949) is an American blues singer and guitarist. In 1971, Raitt released her self-titled debut album. Following this, she released a series of critically acclaimed roots-influenced albums that incorporated ...
,
Ben Harper Benjamin Chase Harper (born October 28, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Harper plays an eclectic mix of blues, folk, soul, reggae, and rock music and is known for his guitar-playing skills, vocals, live perfo ...
,
Bon Iver Bon Iver ( ) is an American indie folk band founded in 2006 by singer-songwriter Justin Vernon. Vernon released Bon Iver's debut album, ''For Emma, Forever Ago,'' independently in July 2007. The majority of the album was recorded while Vernon ...
, and
Amadou & Mariam Amadou & Mariam are a musical duo from Mali, composed of the Bamako-born couple Amadou Bagayoko (guitar and vocals) (born 24 October 1954) and Mariam Doumbia (vocals) (born 15 April 1958). Their album '' Welcome To Mali'' (2008) was nominated ...
. The group's cover of the
Tom Waits Thomas Alan Waits (born December 7, 1949) is an American musician, composer, songwriter, and actor. His lyrics often focus on the underbelly of society and are delivered in his trademark deep, gravelly voice. He worked primarily in jazz during ...
song "
Way Down in the Hole "Way Down in the Hole" is a song written by the singer-songwriter Tom Waits. It was included on his 1987 album ''Franks Wild Years'', which was later made into a stage production. The song was used as the theme for HBO's ''The Wire''. A different ...
" was used as the theme song for the first season of the
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television, premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office busi ...
series '' The Wire''. The Blind Boys have won five Grammy Awards in addition to being presented with a
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award is a special Grammy Award that is awarded by The Recording Academy to "performers who, during their lifetimes, have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording." ...
in 2009. They were endowed with a National Heritage Fellowship from the
National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal ...
in 1994, they were inducted into the
Gospel Music Hall of Fame The Gospel Music Hall of Fame, created in 1972 by the Gospel Music Association, is a Hall of Fame dedicated exclusively to recognizing meaningful contributions by individuals and groups in all forms of gospel music. Inductees This is an incompl ...
in 2003 and they were inducted into the
Alabama Music Hall of Fame The Alabama Music Hall of Fame, first conceived by the Muscle Shoals Music Association in the early 1980s, was created by the Alabama Music Hall of Fame Board, which then saw to its Phase One construction of a facility after a statewide referendu ...
in 2010. The group was also invited to the White House during the Bill Clinton,
George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
, and
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
administrations. Group member Ricky McKinnie said in a 2011 interview with the magazine ''
Mother Jones Mary G. Harris Jones (1837 (baptized) – November 30, 1930), known as Mother Jones from 1897 onwards, was an Irish-born American schoolteacher and dressmaker who became a prominent union organizer, community organizer, and activist. She ...
'': "Our disability doesn't have to be a handicap. It's not about what you ''can't'' do. It's about what you do. And what we do is sing good gospel music."


History


1930s and 1940s

The Blind Boys of Alabama first sang together in 1939 as part of the school
chorus Chorus may refer to: Music * Chorus (song) or refrain, line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse * Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound * Chorus form, song in which all verse ...
at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Deaf and Blind in
Talladega, Alabama Talladega (, also ) is the county seat of Talladega County, Alabama, United States. It was incorporated in 1835. At the 2020 census, the population was 15,861. Talladega is approximately east of one of the state’s biggest cities, Birmingham. ...
. The founding members were Clarence Fountain (19292018), George Scott (19292005), Velma Bozman Traylor (19231947), Johnny Fields (19272009), Olice Thomas (b. 1926, d. unknown), and the only sighted member, J. T. Hutton (c. 19242012.) Early influences of the Blind Boys include the
Golden Gate Quartet The Golden Gate Quartet (a.k.a. The Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet) is an American vocal group. It was formed in 1934 and, with changes in membership, remains active. Origins and early career The group was founded as the Golden Gate Jubilee Singe ...
,
The Soul Stirrers The Soul Stirrers were an American gospel music group, whose career spans over eighty years. The group was a pioneer in the development of the quartet style of gospel, and a major influence on soul, doo wop, and Motown, some of the secular musi ...
and The Heavenly Gospel Singers. While the boys were not allowed to sing black gospel music at their school (which was run by an all- white faculty), they were able to hear it on the radio. The earliest version of the group was known as The Happy Land Jubilee Singers and their first performances were for World War II soldiers at nearby encampments, where the boys sung for pocket change. The group's first professional performance was on June 10, 1944, during a broadcast from radio station WSGN (currently WAGG) in
Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham ( ) is a city in the north central region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Birmingham is the seat of Jefferson County, Alabama's most populous county. As of the 2021 census estimates, Birmingham had a population of 197,575, down 1% fro ...
. The following year, the members dropped out of school and began touring the gospel circuit. In 1947, lead vocalist Traylor died in a gun accident. In 1948, a Newark, New Jersey promoter booked the Happy Land Jubilee Singers along with a gospel act from Mississippi known as the Jackson Harmoneers, whose members were also visually impaired, and advertised the program as the "Battle of the Blind Boys." The two acts soon changed their names to the Five Blind Boys of Alabama and the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi and often toured together. The Blind Boys' early sound was also influenced by the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi who were singing in the "hard gospel" style that was becoming popular at the time. Hard gospel often involved a shrieking and screaming style of singing and during performances some audience members reportedly would get so excited that some would have to be sent to the hospital. The Blind Boys made their first recordings in 1948 on the Coleman label and their first national hit was "I Can See Everybody's Mother But Mine" released in 1949. Their success led to a series of recordings on various record labels. Reverend Paul Exkano of the King Solomon Baptist Church in New Orleans joined the group shortly after they changed their name to Five Blind Boys of Alabama and was present during the group's first recordings in 1948 and 1949, but he left the group after two years and was replaced by Percell Perkins of the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi, later replaced by Joe Watson.


1950s

During the 1950s, black gospel music was popular and the Blind Boys were one of the better known groups. Artists from
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' ( ...
and
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
genres began to include aspects of black gospel music in their arrangements and black gospel artists such as
Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...
and Sam Cooke began crossing over to pop and rock music. Ray Charles's manager offered the Blind Boys a big touring deal if they would cross over to other genres, but the group decided to stick to their gospel roots. They signed with
Specialty Records Specialty Records was an American record label founded in Los Angeles in 1945 by Art Rupe. It was known for rhythm and blues, gospel, and early rock and roll, and recorded artists such as Little Richard, Guitar Slim, Percy Mayfield, and Lloyd Pr ...
in 1953, but left five years later, after again being pressured to sing
secular music Non-religious secular music and sacred music were the two main genres of Western music during the Middle Ages and Renaissance era. The oldest written examples of secular music are songs with Latin lyrics.Grout, 1996, p. 60 However, many secular ...
. While the Blind Boys were selling records in the 1950s, they did not make much money. In an interview with '' Ebony'' magazine in 2003, Fountain stated that they signed contracts that took advantage of them and that they were each paid $50 per album side and the record company kept the rest. By 1953, each member made $100 per side and, as per Fountain, "That was good money in that day. We didn't know what we were worth."


1960s and 1970s

Into the 1960s the popularity of traditional gospel music was on the decline and soul music gained favor as a new type of secular black music. At the same time, rhythm and blues and rock musicians began to incorporate traditional gospel sounds into their music. The term ''soul'' was originally used by gospel musicians in the 1950s to identify the spiritual nature of their music. By the late 1960s, the term being used more commonly to describe all popular music by African Americans. During the 1960s, the Blind Boys performed at benefits for
Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist, one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968 ...
and the
civil rights movement The civil rights movement was a nonviolent social and political movement and campaign from 1954 to 1968 in the United States to abolish legalized institutional racial segregation, discrimination, and disenfranchisement throughout the United ...
. They continued to resist offers to sing more secular music. Fountain attributed their resistance to
selling out "Selling out", or "sold out" in the past tense, is a common expression for the compromising of a person's integrity, morality, authenticity, or principles by forgoing the long-term benefits of the collective or group in exchange for personal g ...
to their lack of need, noting that they were happy and well-fed as they were and wanted to enjoy performing the music they sought to perform, as opposed to recording popular music solely for a paycheck. In 1969, Fountain left the group in order to pursue a solo career. Neither the Blind Boys nor Fountain found much success into the 1970s. In 1972, guitarist Samuel Butler Jr. (son of the guitarist of the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi) joined the group. Fountain returned to the group in 1977.


1980s and 1990s

During their first 40 years, the Blind Boys had primarily played for black gospel audiences, mainly in churches and school auditoriums. The 1980s would mark the group's exposure to a wider audience. By the early 1980s, singer Clarence Fountain had taken the role as the group's frontman. It was at this time that the group was joined by vocalist Jimmy Carter, whose first recording with the group was on their 1982 record ''I'm a Soldier in the Army of the Lord''. Carter sang with the Dixieland Blind Boys, as well as the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi, prior to his work with The Blind Boys of Alabama. Carter was a student of the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind when the group was originally formed, but was too young to join the group when they began touring. In 1983, the group (billed as Clarence Fountain and The Five Blind Boys of Alabama) was cast in the theatrical production ''
The Gospel at Colonus ''The Gospel at Colonus'' is an African-American musical version of Sophocles's tragedy, ''Oedipus at Colonus. '' The show was created in 1983 by the experimental-theatre director Lee Breuer, one of the founders of the seminal American avant-garde ...
'', an African-American musical version of
Sophocles Sophocles (; grc, Σοφοκλῆς, , Sophoklễs; 497/6 – winter 406/5 BC)Sommerstein (2002), p. 41. is one of three ancient Greek tragedians, at least one of whose plays has survived in full. His first plays were written later than, or c ...
' tragedy, '' Oedipus at Colonus.'' In the play, the Blind Boys collectively played the part of blinded Oedipus. The cast included Morgan Freeman as well as members of
The Soul Stirrers The Soul Stirrers were an American gospel music group, whose career spans over eighty years. The group was a pioneer in the development of the quartet style of gospel, and a major influence on soul, doo wop, and Motown, some of the secular musi ...
. ''The Gospel at Colonus'' won an
Obie The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards originally given by '' The Village Voice'' newspaper to theatre artists and groups in New York City. In September 2014, the awards were jointly presented and administered with the ...
for Best Musical in 1984 and the production moved to
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
in 1988. The play's success led to the Blind Boys' exposure to a wider mainstream audience and marked a turning point for the group. In 1990, vocalist and percussionist Ricky McKinnie was invited by Fountain to join the Blind Boys. McKinnie had actually met the Blind Boys when he was about five years old. McKinnie's mother, Sarah McKinnie Shivers, was a singer who would often cross paths with the Blind Boys while she was on tour. McKinnie lost his sight due to
glaucoma Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that result in damage to the optic nerve (or retina) and cause vision loss. The most common type is open-angle (wide angle, chronic simple) glaucoma, in which the drainage angle for fluid within the eye rem ...
at age 23, but had been playing drums for over a decade prior. The Blind Boys released ''Deep River'' in 1992, which was nominated for
Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album The Grammy Award for Best Traditional Gospel Album was awarded from 1991 to 2011. A similar award, the Grammy Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance, Traditional was awarded from 1978 to 1983. It was previously known as the award Best Traditional ...
at the
36th Annual Grammy Awards The 36th Annual Grammy Awards were held on March 1, 1994. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. Whitney Houston was the Big Winner winning 3 awards including Record of the Year and Album of the Year while opening t ...
. The album was produced by
Booker T. Jones Booker Taliaferro Jones Jr. (born November 12, 1944) is an American musician, songwriter, record producer and arranger, best known as the frontman of the band Booker T. & the M.G.'s. He has also worked in the studios with many well-known art ...
, and featured a version of
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
's "I Believe In You." In 1993, they appeared as musical guests on ''
Late Night with Conan O'Brien ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' is an American late night talk show, late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien. NBC aired 2,725 episodes from September 13, 1993, to February 20, 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity i ...
''. In 1994, the
National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal ...
awarded a National Heritage Fellowship to Clarence Fountain and the Five Blind Boys of Alabama. The award was presented to the Blind Boys by First Lady Hillary Clinton. In 1995, the Blind Boys became the first artists to be signed to the new House of Blues gospel label, for which they recorded their first live album ''I Brought Him with Me''. The album featured appearances from blues singers
Koko Taylor Koko Taylor (born Cora Anna Walton, September 28, 1928 – June 3, 2009) was an American singer whose style encompassed Chicago blues, electric blues, rhythm and blues and soul blues. Sometimes called "The Queen of the Blues", she was known fo ...
and
Solomon Burke Solomon Vincent McDonald Burke (born James Solomon McDonald, March 21, 1936 or 1940 – October 10, 2010) was an American singer who shaped the sound of rhythm and blues as one of the founding fathers of soul music in the 1960s. He has been ...
. In December 1996, the group appeared in the
Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, ...
episode of TV series ''
Beverly Hills, 90210 ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' (often referred to by its short title, ''90210'') is an American teen drama television series created by Darren Star and produced by Aaron Spelling under his production company Spelling Television. The series ran for ...
'' titled "Gift Wrapped". The Blind Boys continued experimenting with contemporary popular music on their 1997 release ''Holding On'', also released on the House of Blues label. The album contained elements of
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the mid ...
and reggae.


2000s

The Blind Boys of Alabama enjoyed further exposure and success in the 2000s and 2010s, including collaborations with many high-profile musical artists. Their songs were featured on soundtracks of television series, such as ''
Boston Public ''Boston Public'' is an American drama television series created by David E. Kelley and broadcast on Fox. Set in Boston, the series centers on Winslow High School, a fictional public high school in the Boston Public Schools district. It features ...
'', ''
Lost Lost may refer to getting lost, or to: Geography * Lost, Aberdeenshire, a hamlet in Scotland *Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, or LOST, a hiking and cycling trail in Florida, US History *Abbreviation of lost work, any work which is known to have bee ...
'', and ''
Criminal Minds ''Criminal Minds'' is an American police procedural crime drama television series created and produced by Jeff Davis. The series premiered on CBS on September 22, 2005, and originally concluded on February 19, 2020; it was revived in 2022. It ...
'', as well as films, such as ''
Madea Goes to Jail ''Madea Goes to Jail'' is a 2009 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Tyler Perry, which was based on his 2006 play, and starring Perry, Derek Luke, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Ion Overman, RonReaco Lee, Sofía Vergara, Vanessa Ferli ...
'', ''
Alpha and Omega Alpha (Α or α) and omega (Ω or ω) are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, and a title of Christ and God in the Book of Revelation. This pair of letters is used as a Christian symbol, and is often combined with the Cross, Chi-r ...
'', and '' Hop''. The Blind Boys made an appearance in the film ''
The Fighting Temptations ''The Fighting Temptations'' is a 2003 American musical comedy film directed by Jonathan Lynn, written by Elizabeth Hunter and Saladin K. Patterson, and distributed by Paramount Pictures and MTV Films. The main plot revolves around Darrin Hill ( ...
'' and were featured on such television series as ''
60 Minutes II ''60 Minutes II'' (also known as ''60 Minutes Wednesday'' and ''60 Minutes'') is an American weekly primetime news magazine television program that was intended to replicate the "signature style, journalistic quality and integrity" of the origina ...
'' and '' The Colbert Report'', as well as on multiple episodes of '' The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' and ''
Late Night with David Letterman ''Late Night with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on NBC, the first iteration of the ''Late Night'' franchise. It premiered on February 1, 1982, and was produced by Letterman's production compan ...
''. They were invited to perform at the White House in both 2002 during the presidency of George W. Bush for a celebration of gospel music, and in 2010 during the presidency of Barack Obama for a celebration of music from the civil rights movement. In 2001, the Blind Boys released ''Spirit of the Century'' on Peter Gabriel's
Real World Records Real World Records is a British record label specializing in world music. It was founded in 1989 by English musician Peter Gabriel and original members of WOMAD. A majority of the works released on Real World Records feature music recorded ...
. The album won the award for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album at the
44th Annual Grammy Awards The 44th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 27, 2002 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The main recipient was Alicia Keys, winning five Grammys, including Best New Artist and Song of the Year for " Fallin'". U2 won fo ...
. The album included a version of " I Just Want to See His Face" by The Rolling Stones as well as a version of the song "
Amazing Grace "Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn published in 1779 with words written in 1772 by English Anglican clergyman and poet John Newton (1725–1807). It is an immensely popular hymn, particularly in the United States, where it is used for both ...
" arranged to the tune of " The House of the Rising Sun". In 2002, they released ''Higher Ground'', an album that combines traditional gospel lyrics with the music of other artists. The title song is a rendition of the Stevie Wonder hit, but some of the lyrics were changed to make it a gospel song—for example, the line "Lovers, keep on lovin'" became "Prayers, keep on prayin." Other songs covered on the album include "
People Get Ready "People Get Ready" is a 1965 single by the Impressions, and the title track from the '' People Get Ready'' album. The single is the group's best-known hit, reaching number-three on the ''Billboard'' R&B chart and number 14 on the ''Billboard'' ...
" by
Curtis Mayfield Curtis Lee Mayfield (June 3, 1942 – December 26, 1999) was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer, and one of the most influential musicians behind soul and politically conscious African-American music.
, "
Spirit in the Dark ''Spirit in the Dark'' is the seventeenth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, released on August 24, 1970, by Atlantic Records. It received critical acclaim, but was met with middling sales, despite having two hit singles, " Don't Pla ...
" by
Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the " Queen of Soul", she has twice been placed ninth in ''Rolling Stone''s "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". With ...
, "The Cross" by Prince, and "You and Your Folks, Me and My Folks" by
Funkadelic Funkadelic was an American funk rock band formed in Plainfield, New Jersey in 1968 and active until 1982. The band and its sister act Parliament, both led by George Clinton, pioneered the funk music culture of the 1970s.John, Bush. Funkadeli ...
. The album won the Blind Boys another Grammy for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album and also won them a
GMA Dove Award A Dove Award is an accolade by the Gospel Music Association (GMA) of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the Christian music industry. The awards are presented annually. Formerly held in Nashville, Tennessee, the Dove Awar ...
for Traditional Gospel Album of the Year. The Blind Boys also performed on the steps of the Library of Congress in 2002. In 2003, the Blind Boys released '' Go Tell It on the Mountain''. The album contains renditions of mostly Christmas-related gospel songs and features guest artists
Solomon Burke Solomon Vincent McDonald Burke (born James Solomon McDonald, March 21, 1936 or 1940 – October 10, 2010) was an American singer who shaped the sound of rhythm and blues as one of the founding fathers of soul music in the 1960s. He has been ...
,
Tom Waits Thomas Alan Waits (born December 7, 1949) is an American musician, composer, songwriter, and actor. His lyrics often focus on the underbelly of society and are delivered in his trademark deep, gravelly voice. He worked primarily in jazz during ...
, Michael Franti,
Chrissie Hynde Christine Ellen Hynde (born September 7, 1951) is an American musician. She is a founding member and the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter of the rock band the Pretenders, and one of the band's two remaining original members alon ...
, Richard Thompson,
Aaron Neville Aaron Joseph Neville (born January 24, 1941) is a retired American R&B and soul singer. He has had four platinum albums and four Top 10 hits in the United States, including three that reached number one on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. ...
, Mavis Staples,
Shelby Lynne Shelby Lynne (born Shelby Lynn Moorer, October 22, 1968) is an American singer and songwriter and the older sister of singer-songwriter Allison Moorer. The success of her pop rock album '' I Am Shelby Lynne'' (1999) led to her winning the Grammy ...
, George Clinton, Robert Randolph,
Meshell Ndegeocello Michelle Lynn Johnson, better known as Meshell Ndegeocello (; born August 29, 1968), is a German-born American singer-songwriter, rapper, and bassist. She has gone by the name Meshell Suhaila Bashir-Shakur which is used as a writing credit on so ...
, and Les McCann. The album went on to win the Grammy for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album. The Blind Boys performed live twice with Lou Reed: In 2004, they performed together at a private concert on the floor of the
UN General Assembly The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA or GA; french: link=no, Assemblée générale, AG) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), serving as the main deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ of the UN. Curr ...
for the Landmine Survivors Network and in 2010, they appeared on ''Late Night with David Letterman'' and performed "Jesus", a song originally released by The Velvet Underground on their The Velvet Underground (album), eponymous album. The Blind Boys collaborated several times with
Ben Harper Benjamin Chase Harper (born October 28, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Harper plays an eclectic mix of blues, folk, soul, reggae, and rock music and is known for his guitar-playing skills, vocals, live perfo ...
: Harper played guitar on the Blind Boys' albums ''Higher Ground'' and ''Spirit of the Century''. The Blind Boys again collaborated with Harper on his 2004 album ''There Will Be a Light'' and toured with him throughout Europe that year. The majority of the songs were Harper originals, but the album also included a cover of Bob Dylan and Danny O'Keefe's "Well, Well, Well." ''There Will Be a Light'' also won the Grammy for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album. The following year, Harper and the Blind Boys released ''Live at the Apollo (Ben Harper and The Blind Boys of Alabama album), Live at the Apollo'', a recording of their live performance from the Apollo Theater in October 2004. The Blind Boys released the album ''Atom Bomb (album), Atom Bomb'' in 2005. The album features cover versions of songs such as "Demons (Fatboy Slim song), Demons" by Fatboy Slim and Macy Gray, (a track that also featured a guest appearance by rapper Gift of Gab (rapper), Gift of Gab); Blind Faith's "Presence of the Lord," featuring Soul (music), soul musician Billy Preston; and a cover of Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit in the Sky," featuring David Hidalgo of Los Lobos and blues musician Charlie Musselwhite. The album was awarded the prize for Traditional Gospel Album of the Year at the 37th GMA Dove Awards. On March 9, 2005, at the age of 75, vocalist George Scott died of complications from diabetes and a heart condition. In 2006, vocalist Ben Moore was invited to join the group by Carter. Moore had previously performed under the name "Bobby Purify" as part of the R&B duo James & Bobby Purify and continued to use the name as a solo artist after the duo broke up in the 1980s. In 2007, Fountain stopped touring with the group due to complications from diabetes. In 2008, the Blind Boys released the album ''Down in New Orleans''. The album was recorded in New Orleans, which was a first for the group, and includes songs written by or made famous by New Orleans musicians along with updated gospel standards. Many tracks also feature guest musicians from the city. Tracks include a jazzy version of the popular gospel song "Uncloudy Day", backed by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band; blues song "Make a Better World" written by musician Earl King), backed by the Hot 8 Brass Band; as well as a bluesy version of "If I Could Help Somebody" by Mahalia Jackson with Allen Toussaint on piano. The album also won the GMA Dove Award for Traditional Gospel Album of the Year. The Blind Boys released their album ''Duets'' in 2009. Each song features a duet between the Blind Boys and another artist; some of these artists include Susan Tedeschi,
Bonnie Raitt Bonnie Lynn Raitt (; born November 8, 1949) is an American blues singer and guitarist. In 1971, Raitt released her self-titled debut album. Following this, she released a series of critically acclaimed roots-influenced albums that incorporated ...
, and John P. Hammond, John Hammond. Earlier that same year, the group was honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, Lifetime Achievement Award at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards.


2010s

In 2010, the Blind Boys were inducted into the
Alabama Music Hall of Fame The Alabama Music Hall of Fame, first conceived by the Muscle Shoals Music Association in the early 1980s, was created by the Alabama Music Hall of Fame Board, which then saw to its Phase One construction of a facility after a statewide referendu ...
. In 2011, the group appeared in the animated feature film '' Hop''. Vocalist Billy Bowers left the group in 2011 when he was injured and underwent back surgery. Bowers' role as vocalist was filled by Ricky McKinnie, who was also the groups' percussionist for many years. Bowers died July 2, 2013, of heart failure in Montgomery, Alabama at the age of 71. In 2013, the Blind Boys released ''I'll Find a Way'', produced by Justin Vernon of
Bon Iver Bon Iver ( ) is an American indie folk band founded in 2006 by singer-songwriter Justin Vernon. Vernon released Bon Iver's debut album, ''For Emma, Forever Ago,'' independently in July 2007. The majority of the album was recorded while Vernon ...
. The album also features guest appearances by Sam Amidon and Merrill Garbus of Tune-Yards. The following year, the Blind Boys released ''Talkin’ Christmas!'' in collaboration with blues musician Taj Mahal (musician), Taj Mahal. In 2016, the Blind Boys contributed to ''God Don't Never Change: The Songs of Blind Willie Johnson'', a tribute album recorded in honor of gospel musician Blind Willie Johnson. The Blind Boys performed the song "Mother's Children Have a Hard Time", a performance that was nominated for Grammy Award for Best American Roots Performance, Best American Roots Performance at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards. The album was also nominated in the category of Grammy Award for Best Roots Gospel Album, Best Roots Gospel Album. In 2017, the Blind Boys released the album ''Almost Home'' on BBOA Records in collaboration with Amazon Music. Fountain also rejoined the group for the album's recording. The songs on the album were written for the Blind Boys by writers including Marc Cohn, Phil Cook (musician), Phil Cook, John Leventhal, and Valerie June. The Blind Boys' manager, Charles Driebe, recorded interviews with the members of the group then shared them with the songwriters who wrote songs reflecting the Blind Boys' personal stories. The song "Let My Mother Live" from the album was nominated for Best American Roots Performance at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards. Written by Leventhal, the song is about Carter as a young boy at the Alabama Institute and "how scared I was, and that I wanted my mother to live until I got grown." On August 28, 2020, Single Lock Records released the Blind Boys' album ''Almost Home'' to all platforms, including a bonus track: previously unreleased Bob Dylan song, "See By Faith." On June 3, 2018, Clarence Fountain died of complications from diabetes at the age of 88 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. His final performance with the Blind Boys of Alabama was on May 16, 2018, at the Manship Theatre there. September 2018 saw the release of the Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Muscle Shoals tribute album, ''Small Town, Big Sound''. The Blind Boys, along with blues musician Mike Farris (musician), Mike Farris, performed a cover of the song "Respect Yourself." The album also featured cover songs by such artists as Steven Tyler, Willie Nelson, Grace Potter, Chris Stapleton, and Kid Rock. In January 2019, the Blind Boys performed with Marc Cohn at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center. The performance was broadcast on the PBS live music series ''The Kate'' that spring. Over the summer of 2019, the Blind Boys toured Europe with blind Afro-pop duo
Amadou & Mariam Amadou & Mariam are a musical duo from Mali, composed of the Bamako-born couple Amadou Bagayoko (guitar and vocals) (born 24 October 1954) and Mariam Doumbia (vocals) (born 15 April 1958). Their album '' Welcome To Mali'' (2008) was nominated ...
. Similar to the Blind Boys, the husband-and-wife duo originally met in 1975 at the Union Malienne Des Aveugles, Bamako Institute for the Blind in Mali. During the tour, the two groups of vocalists would provide vocal accompaniment to performances of each group's songs. They would also perform original material that they had created together, such as the songs "Bamako to Birmingham, Alabama, Birmingham" and "Two Cultures, One Beat." In August of that same year, the Blind Boys released a collaborative album with Marc Cohn titled ''Work To Do''. The album features Cohn and the Blind Boys performing new and older material by Cohn in addition to renditions of traditional gospel songs. Seven of the tracks are recordings from their performance on ''The Kate'' earlier that same year, including Cohn's hit "Walking in Memphis", as well the Blind Boys' version of "Amazing Grace" to the melody of "The House of the Rising Sun". On October 15, 2019, the group appeared on ''Today (American TV program), Today'' to perform the title track alongside Marc Cohn. In a 2019 Exposé (journalism), exposé, ''The New York Times Magazine'' reported that The Blind Boys of Alabama were among hundreds of artists whose material was destroyed in the 2008 Universal Studios fire. Music blog UDiscoverMusic named Blind Boys the longest standing music group, as they are still touring and writing/recording music after being founded in 1939. In 2019, Jason Isbell selected the Blind Boys to join him for his October residency at the Ryman Auditorium. Shortly after, they were featured with Irish TV host Hector Ó hEochagáin for his show ''Hector USA''. The Blind Boys' 2019 Christmas Tour earned the praise of ''The New Yorker'', which commented "The beloved gospel ensemble the Blind Boys of Alabama...remains perennially fresh, whether it's interjecting godliness into unexpected songs or, as in this case, saluting Christmas."


2020s

In March 2020, the group toured Australia and New Zealand, performing at the Womadelaide and Womad NZ festivals. In May 2020, Woodstock legend Wavy Gravy included the Blind Boys in his virtual music festival celebrating his 84th birthday. To kick off 2021, the Recording Academy featured the Blind Boys performing 'If I Had a Hammer' on their "Positive Vibes Only" series. Later that year, the Blind Boys teamed up with Béla Fleck to release a new version of "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free" for Record Store Day. The song went on to be nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best American Roots Performance category. Singer Ben Moore (Benjamin Moore, Jr.) died of natural causes on May 12, 2022. He was 80 years old. In July 2022, the Blind Boys were featured as performers at the closing ceremonies of the World Games at the Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama. They performed with Jamey Johnson and a 75-piece orchestra led by Dr. Henry Panion on a bill headlined by Lionel Richie.


Awards and nominations


Other honors


Current members


Founding members


Past members


Discography


As main artists

*1949 – ''I Can See Everybody's Mother But Mine'' – Coleman Records *1950 – ''Sweet Honey in the Rocks'' – Palda Records *1950 – ''Livin' On Mother's Prayers'' – Palda Records *1950 – ''Come Over Here The Table Spread'' – Palda Records *1953 – ''The Sermon'' *1953 – ''When I Lost My Mother'' –
Specialty Records Specialty Records was an American record label founded in Los Angeles in 1945 by Art Rupe. It was known for rhythm and blues, gospel, and early rock and roll, and recorded artists such as Little Richard, Guitar Slim, Percy Mayfield, and Lloyd Pr ...
*1954 – ''Marching Up To Zion'' – Specialty Records *1954 – ''Oh Lord, Stand By Me'' – Specialty Records *1958 – ''My Mother's Train'' – Vee-Jay Records *1959 – ''God is On the Throne'' – Savoy Records *1959 – ''The Original Blind Boys'' – Savoy Records *1963 – ''(1957) You'll Never Walk Alone'' – HOB Records *1963 – ''Old Time Religion'' – HOB Records *1963 – ''True Convictions'' – HOB Records *1965 – ''Can I Get a Witness?'' – HOB Records *1967 – ''Church Concert in New Orleans (Live)'' – HOB Records *1969 – ''Fix it Jesus Like You Said You Would'' – Keen Records *1969 – ''Jesus Will Be Waiting'' *1970 – ''In the Gospel Light'' *1970 – ''The Five Blind Boys From Alabama'' *1970 – ''The Soul of Clarence Fountain'' *1973 – ''Best of Five Blind Boys of Alabama'' *1974 – ''Precious Memories'' *1978 – ''The Soldier Album'' – PIR Records *1981 – ''Faith Moves Mountains'' – Messiah Records *1982 – ''I'm a Soldier in the Army of the Lord'' *1987 – ''In the Hands of the Lord'' *1989 – ''I'm a Changed Man'' – Wajji Records *1989 – ''The Five Blind Boys of Alabama'' *1990 – ''Brand New'' – Wajji Records *1990 – ''I'm Not That Way Anymore'' – Atlanta International Records *1991 – ''I am a Soldier'' *1991 – ''Oh Lord, Stand By Me / Marching Up to Zion'' *1991 – ''The Best of the Five Blind Boys'' *1992 – ''Deep River'' – Elektra Records, Elektra/Nonesuch Records *1993 – ''Bridge Over Troubled Waters'' *1994 – ''Alive in Person'' *1994 – ''Blessed Assurance'' *1994 – ''Don't Forget To Pray'' *1994 – ''In the Gospel Light'' *1994 – ''Soul Gospel'' *1994 – ''Swing Low, Sweet Chariot'' *1995 – ''1948–51'' *1995 – ''I Brought Him With Me'' – House of Blues Music Company *1996 – ''All Things Are Possible'' *1996 – ''Golden Moments in Gospel'' *1997 – ''Holdin' On'' – House of Blues Music Company *1998 – ''Have Faith: The Very Best of the Five Blind Boys of Alabama'' *1999 – ''Best of Clarence Fountain and the Five Blind Boys of Alabama'' *1999 – ''Hallelujah: A Collection of Their Finest'' *2000 – ''My Lord What a Morning'' *2001 – ''Spirit of the Century'' –
Real World Records Real World Records is a British record label specializing in world music. It was founded in 1989 by English musician Peter Gabriel and original members of WOMAD. A majority of the works released on Real World Records feature music recorded ...
*2001 – ''You'll Never Walk Alone / True Convictions'' (reissue) *2002 – ''Higher Ground'' – Real World Records *2003 – ''Amazing Grace'' *2003 – '' Go Tell It on the Mountain'' – Real World Records *2004 – ''There Will Be a Light'' (with
Ben Harper Benjamin Chase Harper (born October 28, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Harper plays an eclectic mix of blues, folk, soul, reggae, and rock music and is known for his guitar-playing skills, vocals, live perfo ...
) – Virgin Records *2005 – ''Live at the Apollo (Ben Harper and The Blind Boys of Alabama), Live at the Apollo'' (with
Ben Harper Benjamin Chase Harper (born October 28, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Harper plays an eclectic mix of blues, folk, soul, reggae, and rock music and is known for his guitar-playing skills, vocals, live perfo ...
) *2005 – ''Atom Bomb (album), Atom Bomb'' – Real World Records *2006 – ''Just a Closer Walk with Thee'', a compilation of work ranging from the years 1963–1965 *2008 – ''Down in New Orleans'' – Time Life – Grammy Award, Grammy winner *2009 – ''Enlightenment'' – The Great American Music Co. (2 CDs) *2009 – ''Duets'' (compilation of collaborations with other artists) – Saguaro Road Records *2010 – ''Faith Moves Mountains'' (reissue) *2011 – ''Take the High Road'' – Saguaro Road Records *2013 – ''I'll Find a Way'' – Sony Masterworks *2014 – ''Talkin' Christmas!'' (with Taj Mahal (musician), Taj Mahal) – Sony Masterworks *2017 – ''Almost Home'' – BBOA Records/Single Lock Records *2019 – ''Work To Do'' (with Marc Cohn) – Bertelsmann Music Group, BMG Records *2021 - ''I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free'' (with Bela Fleck) - Single Lock Records


As featured or guest artists

*2002 – ''Up (Peter Gabriel album), Up'' by Peter Gabriel on his song "Sky Blue" *2002 – ''Lifted: Songs of the Spirit'' – "Freedom Road" *2002 – ''WYEP-FM, WYEP Live and Direct: Volume 4 - On Air Performances'' – "
Amazing Grace "Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn published in 1779 with words written in 1772 by English Anglican clergyman and poet John Newton (1725–1807). It is an immensely popular hymn, particularly in the United States, where it is used for both ...
" *2002 – ''Don't Give Up on Me'' by
Solomon Burke Solomon Vincent McDonald Burke (born James Solomon McDonald, March 21, 1936 or 1940 – October 10, 2010) was an American singer who shaped the sound of rhythm and blues as one of the founding fathers of soul music in the 1960s. He has been ...
on his song "None of Us Are Free" *2003 – ''Brother Bear (soundtrack), Brother Bear: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack'' – "Welcome" with Phil Collins and Oren Waters *2005 – ''Redemption Songs'' – "Nothing But The Blood" *2007 – ''Song of America (album), Song of America'' – "Let Us Break Bread Together" *2014 – ''Songs from a Stolen Spring'' – "Freedom" *2016 – ''God Don't Never Change: The Songs of Blind Willie Johnson'' – "Motherless Children, Mother's Children Have a Hard Time"


Notes


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Blind Boys of Alabama, (The) American gospel musical groups Musical groups from Alabama Blind musicians Real World Records artists African-American musical groups Musical groups established in 1939 Jewel Records artists Articles containing video clips American blues musical groups Ben Harper Omnivore Recordings artists National Heritage Fellowship winners Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners Proper Records artists