- The Blind Boys of Alabama
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The Blind Boys of Alabama 
The Blind Boys of Alabama performing at the Quebec City Summer Festival in 2008.Background information Origin Alabama, United States Genres Gospel, Blues Years active 1939–present Website www.blindboys.com The Blind Boys of Alabama are a gospel group from Alabama that first formed at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind at Talladega, Alabama in 1939. The three main vocalists of the group and their drummer/percussionist are all blind.
As of 2010, The Blind Boys of Alabama continue to tour nationally and internationally, with Jimmy Carter singing lead vocals. In 2006, Clarence Fountain, the group's former long-time lead vocalist and founding member limited his touring for health reasons. Founding member George Scott died on March 9, 2005 at the age of 75. Another founding member, Johnny Fields, died on November 12, 2009.
Contents
Awards
Releases by the group in recent years have been favorites at the Grammy Awards—they won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album four straight years between 2002 and 2005. The Blind Boys of Alabama were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2007. In 2009, they were awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.[1]
In the early 1980s, the Blind Boys of Alabama performed in the Obie Award-winning musical The Gospel at Colonus; their involvement in the production has continued into the twenty-first century, including a 2008 performance in Athens, Greece, near the original performance location of Sophocles's play Oedipus at Colonus, where Jimmy Carter took over the role of Oedipus originally created for Clarence Fountain. This was followed by performances in 2009 in Edinburgh Scotland at the Edinburgh International Festival and in 2010 at the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina[2]
Their rendition of Tom Waits' "Way Down in the Hole" was used as the theme song of the HBO series The Wire in its first season and as incidental music in the end-of-season montage for the fifth season.
Their performance of the spiritual "I Shall Not Walk Alone" was featured in the first season of ABC's Lost, in the episode "Confidence Man".
They have appeared on-screen in the feature films "The Fighting Temptations" (2003) and "Hop" (2011) and sang a song in the Disney animated feature "Brother Bear" (2003)
The Blind Boys were featured on the Imus in the Morning radio and TV show on November 30, 2006 and October 26, 2009; on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on December 20, 2006, and March 11, 2008; on Late Night With Conan O'Brien on February 1, 2008; and on The Late Show with David Letterman on January 21, 2010. They have collaborated with numerous artists, including Ben Harper, Aaron Neville and Mavis Staples. They have joined Tom Petty and Peter Gabriel on tour, and they toured with Taj Mahal in 2008. In a surprise to both the band and the audience, the Blind Boys were joined by Prince on stage in a March 7, 2008 show at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood, California.
In 2009, the Blind Boys released their new recording, Duets, a special anthology featuring 14 unique collaborations. Unlike some of their old-time gospel music brethren, the Blind Boys eagerly embrace the popular music world, bringing gospel music to mainstream audiences. This album documented these rich, eclectic and cohesive interactions with popular artists. Duets ranges from rock to reggae, country to contemporary Christian, and blues to ballads, all unified by the Blind Boys’ deep, soulful harmonizing. Guest artists include Lou Reed, John Hammond and Toots Hibbert – as well as a new song with Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles. The album also includes performances with Ben Harper, Randy Travis, Bonnie Raitt, Solomon Burke, Susan Tedeschi, Jars of Clay, Charlie Musselwhite, Asleep At The Wheel, and Dan Zanes.
In February 2010, The Blind Boys performed at the White House for President Obama and the First Lady along with Bob Dylan, Natalie Cole, John Mellencamp, and Smokey Robinson.[3]
In April 2011, the band released Take The High Road in Australia and followed it with a headlining tour that included the East and West Coast Bluesfest and the Sydney Opera House. The CD, which was also released in the U.S. on May 3, features guest artists Willie Nelson, Vince Gill, Lee Ann Womack, Hank Williams, Jr., The Oak Ridge Boys, and Nashville heavyweight Jamey Johnson, who also co-produced the record.
Current members
- Jimmy Carter – vocals
- Bishop Billy Bowers – vocals
- Ben Moore - vocals
- Eric "Ricky" McKinnie – drums, percussion, vocals
- Joey Williams – lead guitar & vocals
- Tracy Pierce – bass
- Peter Levin - organ
- Clarence Fountain – tours with the group as his health allows
Founding members
- Clarence Fountain - vocals
- Jimmy Carter - vocals
- Johnny Fields (deceased) - vocals
- George Scott (deceased) - vocals
- Ollice Thomas (deceased) - vocals
- JT Hutton - vocals
- Vel Bozman Traylor (deceased) - vocals
Past members
- Caleb Butler – rhythm guitar
- Samuel Butler Jr - rhythm guitar, song writer and arranger, manager, second lead singer
Lamont Blount-- (deceased) band manager
Discography
- 1948 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 Sermon
- 1953 When I Lost My Mother - Specialty Records
- 1954 Marching 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 Conviction - 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
- 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/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 Mements 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 Gospel For the Lord (reissue)
- 2001 Original Blind Boys (reissue)
- 2001 Spirit of the Century - Real World Records
- 2001 You'll Never Walk Alone / True Convictions (reissue)
- 2002 Collectors Edition (reissue)
- 2002 Higher Ground (Real World Records)
- 2002 I Saw the Light (reissue)
- 2003 Go Tell it On the Mountain - Real World Records
- 2003 Bridge Over Troubled Water - Liquid 8 (reissue)
- 2003 Lord Search My Heart - Liquid 8 (reissue)
- 2003 Amazing Grace - Light (reissue)
- 2003 Jesus Rose With All the Power in His Hands - Liquid 8 (reissue)
- 2004 There Will Be a Light (with Ben Harper) - Virgin Records
- 2004 I'm a Soldier in the Army of the Lord - Right Stuff (reissue)
- 2005 Atom Bomb - Real World
- 2006 Just a Closer Walk with Thee, a compilation of work ranging from the years 1963–1965
- 2008 Down in New Orleans - TimeLife - Grammy Winner
- 2009 Duets (compilation of collaborations with other artists)
- 2010 Faith Moves Mountains (reissue)
- 2011 Take the High Road
Contributions
- 2002 - Lifted: Songs of the Spirit - "Freedom Road"
- 2002 - WYEP Live and Direct: Volume 4 - On Air Performances - "Amazing Grace"
- 2002 - Solomon Burke : Don't Give Up On Me - "None of Us Are Free"
- 2003 - Brother Bear (soundtrack) - "Welcome" with Phil Collins and Oren Waters
- 2007 - Song of America - "Let Us Break Bread Together"
Grammy Awards
- 2002 for Spirit of the Century
- 2003 for Higher Ground
- 2004 for Go Tell it On the Mountain
- 2005 for There Will Be a Light
- 2009 for Down in New Orleans
- 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award
References
- 2008 AP News Profile
- 2002 CBS News Profile
- Stambler, Irwin & Lyndon. (2001) Folk & Blues:The Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition. New York. St. Martin's Press. 40-41. ISBN 0-312-20057-9
- Interview with Ricky McKinnie by Alicia Carson
External links
- The Blind Boys of Alabama official site
- 2008 Interview with Jimmy Carter by AP
- 2006 Interview with Clarence Fountain in London
- 2008 San Francisco Chronicle Article detailing current status of some current and former members
- Ricky McKinnie site
Studio albums Welcome to the Cruel World · Fight for Your Mind · The Will to Live · Burn to Shine · Diamonds On the Inside · There Will Be a Light · Both Sides of the Gun · Lifeline · White Lies for Dark Times · Give Till It's GoneLive albums Videos Live at the Hollywood Bowl · Live at the ApolloSingles "Steal My Kisses" · "With My Own Two Hands" · "Diamonds On the Inside" · "Better Way" · "Fly One Time" · "Don't Give Up on Me Now" · "Rock 'N Roll Is Free"Related articles The Blind Boys of Alabama · Relentless7 · Fistful of Mercy: As I Call You DownCategories:- American gospel musical groups
- African American singers
- Musical groups from Alabama
- Blind musicians
- Real World artists
- Grammy Award winners
- Gospel Music Hall of Fame inductees
- African American musical groups
- Musical groups established in 1939
- Jewel Records artists
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