The Blind Boys of Alabama | |
|---|---|
.jpg) The Blind Boys of Alabama performing at Cosmopolite Scene Oslo in 2018. | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Talladega, Alabama, U.S. |
| Genres | Gospel,traditional black gospel,blues,soul |
| Years active | 1939–present |
| Members |
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| Past members |
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| Website | blindboys |
The Blind Boys of Alabama, also billed asThe Five Blind Boys of Alabama, andClarence Fountain and the Blind Boys of Alabama,[4] is an Americangospel group. The group was founded in 1939 inTalladega, Alabama, and has featured a changing roster of musicians over its history, the majority of whom are or werevision impaired.[4][5][6][7]
The Blind Boys found mainstream success following their appearance in the 1983Obie Award-winning musicalThe Gospel at Colonus.[4][8][9] Since then, the group has toured internationally and has performed and recorded with such artists asPrince,Lou Reed,Peter Gabriel,Bonnie Raitt,Ben Harper,Bon Iver, andAmadou & Mariam.[4][5][8][10][11] The group's cover of theTom Waits song "Way Down in the Hole" was used as thetheme song for the first season of theHBO seriesThe Wire.[5][10]
The Blind Boys have won fiveGrammy Awards in addition to being presented with aGrammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009.[12] They were endowed with aNational Heritage Fellowship from theNational Endowment for the Arts in 1994,[13] they were inducted into theGospel Music Hall of Fame in 2003,[14] and they were inducted into theAlabama Music Hall of Fame in 2010.[15] The group was also invited to theWhite House during theBill Clinton,George W. Bush, andBarack Obama administrations.[8][16]
Group memberRicky McKinnie said in a 2011 interview with the magazineMother Jones: "Our disability doesn't have to be a handicap. It's not about what youcan't do. It's about what you do. And what we do is sing good gospel music."[8]
The Blind Boys of Alabama first sang together in 1939 as part of the schoolchorus at theAlabama Institute for the Negro Deaf and Blind inTalladega, Alabama.[4] The founding members were Clarence Fountain (1929–2018), George Scott (1929–2005), Velma Bozman Traylor (1923–1947), Johnny Fields (1927–2009), Olice Thomas (b. 1926, d. unknown), and the only sighted member, J. T. Hutton (c. 1924–2012.)[4][17][note 1]
Early influences of the Blind Boys include theGolden Gate Quartet,The Soul Stirrers and The Heavenly Gospel Singers.[22] While the boys were not allowed to singblack gospel music at their school (which was run by an all-white faculty), they were able to hear it on the radio.[22]
The earliest version of the group was known as The Happy Land Jubilee Singers and their first performances were forWorld War II soldiers at nearby encampments, where the boys sang for pocket change.[10][17][22] The group's first professional performance was on June 10, 1944, during a broadcast from radio station WSGN (currentlyWAGG) inBirmingham, Alabama.[5] The following year, the members dropped out of school and began touring the gospel circuit.[17] In 1947, lead vocalist Traylor died in a gun accident.[4][10]
In 1948, aNewark, 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."[4][10] The two acts soon changed their names to the Five Blind Boys of Alabama and theFive Blind Boys of Mississippi and often toured together.[4] 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.[10][23] 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.[10][23]
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.[24] Their success led to a series of recordings on various record labels.[24]
Reverend Paul Exkano of the King Solomon Baptist Church inNew 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.[22]
During the 1950s, black gospel music was popular and the Blind Boys were one of the better known groups.[4] Artists frompop androck genres began to include aspects of black gospel music in their arrangements and black gospel artists such asRay Charles andSam Cooke began crossing over to pop and rock music.[4][17] 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.[10][17] They signed withSpecialty Records in 1953, but left five years later, after again being pressured to singsecular music.[10]
While the Blind Boys were selling records in the 1950s, they did not make much money. In an interview withEbony 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.[25] 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."[25]
Into the 1960s the popularity of traditional gospel music was on the decline andsoul music gained favor as a new type of secular black music.[4][12] At the same time,rhythm and blues and rock musicians began to incorporate traditional gospel sounds into their music.[4][5] The termsoul was originally used by gospel musicians in the 1950s to identify the spiritual nature of their music.[26] By the late 1960s, the term being used more commonly to describe all popular music by African Americans.[26]
During the 1960s, the Blind Boys performed at benefits forMartin Luther King Jr. and thecivil rights movement.[12] They continued to resist offers to sing more secular music. Fountain attributed their resistance toselling out 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.[27]
In 1969, Fountain left the group in order to pursue a solo career.[4] Neither the Blind Boys nor Fountain found much success into the 1970s.[4] In 1972, guitarist Samuel Butler Jr. (son of the guitarist of the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi) joined the group.[28] Fountain returned to the group in 1977.[4]
During their first 40 years, the Blind Boys had primarily played for black gospel audiences, mainly in churches and school auditoriums.[5][8] The 1980s would mark the group's exposure to a wider audience.[4][8]
By the early 1980s, singer Clarence Fountain had taken the role as the group's frontman.[4][24] It was at this time that the group was joined by vocalist Jimmy Carter, whose first recording with the group was on their 1982 recordI'm a Soldier in the Army of the Lord.[19][28] 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.[28] 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.[28][19]
In 1983, the group (billed as Clarence Fountain and The Five Blind Boys of Alabama) was cast in the theatrical productionThe Gospel at Colonus, an African-American musical version ofSophocles' tragedy,Oedipus at Colonus.[4][8] In the play, the Blind Boys collectively played the part of blindedOedipus.[10] The cast includedMorgan Freeman as well as members ofThe Soul Stirrers.[10][29]The Gospel at Colonus won anObie for Best Musical in 1984 and the production moved toBroadway in 1988.[4][10] The play's success led to the Blind Boys' exposure to a wider mainstream audience and marked a turning point for the group.[4][8][9]
In 1990, vocalist and percussionistRicky McKinnie was invited by Fountain to join the Blind Boys.[7][30] McKinnie had actually met the Blind Boys when he was about five years old.[7][30] McKinnie's mother, Sarah McKinnie Shivers, was a singer who would often cross paths with the Blind Boys while she was on tour.[7][30] McKinnie lost his sight due toglaucoma at age 23, but had been playing drums for over a decade prior.[7][30]
The Blind Boys releasedDeep River in 1992, which was nominated forBest Traditional Soul Gospel Album at the36th Annual Grammy Awards.[31] The album was produced byBooker T. Jones, and featured a version ofBob Dylan's "I Believe In You."[4][12] In 1993, they appeared as musical guests onLate Night with Conan O'Brien.[8][32]
In 1994, theNational Endowment for the Arts awarded aNational Heritage Fellowship to Clarence Fountain and the Five Blind Boys of Alabama.[33] The award was presented to the Blind Boys byFirst LadyHillary Clinton.[34]
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 albumI Brought Him with Me.[9][24] The album featured appearances from blues singersKoko Taylor andSolomon Burke.[9] In December 1996, the group appeared in theChristmas episode of TV seriesBeverly Hills, 90210 titled "Gift Wrapped".[34][35] The Blind Boys continued experimenting with contemporary popular music on their 1997 releaseHolding On, also released on the House of Blues label.[34] The album contained elements offunk andreggae.[34][36]
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 asBoston Public,Lost, andCriminal Minds, as well as films, such asMadea Goes to Jail,Alpha and Omega, andHop.[32] The Blind Boys made an appearance in the filmThe Fighting Temptations and were featured on such television series as60 Minutes II andThe Colbert Report, as well as on multiple episodes ofThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno andLate Night with David Letterman.[32] They were invited to perform at theWhite House in both 2002 during thepresidency of George W. Bush for a celebration ofgospel music, and in 2010 during thepresidency of Barack Obama for a celebration of music from the civil rights movement.[16][37]
In 2001, the Blind Boys releasedSpirit of the Century onPeter Gabriel'sReal World Records.[4] The album won the award for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album at the44th Annual Grammy Awards.[38] The album included a version of "I Just Want to See His Face" byThe Rolling Stones as well as a version of the song "Amazing Grace" arranged to the tune of "The House of the Rising Sun".[6]
In 2002, they releasedHigher Ground, an album that combines traditional gospel lyrics with the music of other artists.[25] The title song is a rendition ofthe 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."[25] Other songs covered on the album include "People Get Ready" byCurtis Mayfield, "Spirit in the Dark" byAretha Franklin, "The Cross" byPrince, and "You and Your Folks, Me and My Folks" byFunkadelic.[25] The album won the Blind Boys another Grammy for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album and also won them aGMA Dove Award for Traditional Gospel Album of the Year.[39][40] The Blind Boys also performed on the steps of theLibrary of Congress in 2002.[24]
In 2003, the Blind Boys releasedGo Tell It on the Mountain.[41] The album contains renditions of mostly Christmas-related gospel songs and features guest artistsSolomon Burke,Tom Waits,Michael Franti,Chrissie Hynde,Richard Thompson,Aaron Neville,Mavis Staples,Shelby Lynne,George Clinton,Robert Randolph,Meshell Ndegeocello, andLes McCann.[41] The album went on to win the Grammy for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album.[42] They also contributed to the soundtrack of the Disney animated filmBrother Bear, performing the song "Welcome" alongsidePhil Collins.[43]
The Blind Boys performed live twice withLou Reed: In 2004, they performed together at a private concert on the floor of theUN General Assembly for theLandmine Survivors Network and in 2010, they appeared onLate Night with David Letterman and performed "Jesus", a song originally released byThe Velvet Underground on theireponymous album.[44]
The Blind Boys collaborated several times withBen Harper: Harper played guitar on the Blind Boys' albumsHigher Ground andSpirit of the Century.[45] The Blind Boys again collaborated with Harper on his 2004 albumThere Will Be a Light and toured with him throughout Europe that year.[8][22][45] The majority of the songs were Harper originals, but the album also included a cover of Bob Dylan andDanny O'Keefe's "Well, Well, Well."[45]There Will Be a Light also won the Grammy for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album.[46] The following year, Harper and the Blind Boys releasedLive at the Apollo, a recording of their live performance from theApollo Theater in October 2004.[47]
The Blind Boys released the albumAtom Bomb in 2005.[48] The album featurescover versions of songs such as "Demons" byFatboy Slim andMacy Gray, (a track that also featured a guest appearance by rapperGift of Gab);Blind Faith's "Presence of the Lord," featuringsoul musicianBilly Preston; and a cover ofNorman Greenbaum's "Spirit in the Sky," featuringDavid Hidalgo ofLos Lobos and blues musicianCharlie Musselwhite.[48] The album was awarded the prize for Traditional Gospel Album of the Year at the37th GMA Dove Awards.[40]
On March 9, 2005, at the age of 75, vocalist George Scott died of complications fromdiabetes and a heart condition.[49] In 2006, vocalist Ben Moore was invited to join the group by Carter.[50] Moore had previously performed under the name "Bobby Purify" as part of the R&B duoJames & Bobby Purify and continued to use the name as a solo artist after the duo broke up in the 1980s.[50] In 2007, Fountain stopped touring with the group due to complications from diabetes.[10]
In 2008, the Blind Boys released the albumDown in New Orleans.[51] The album was recorded in New Orleans, which was a first for the group,[52] and includes songs written by or made famous by New Orleans musicians along with updated gospel standards.[51] Many tracks also feature guest musicians from the city.[51] Tracks include a jazzy version of the popular gospel song "Uncloudy Day", backed by thePreservation Hall Jazz Band; blues song "Make a Better World" written by musicianEarl King), backed by theHot 8 Brass Band; as well as a bluesy version of "If I Could Help Somebody" byMahalia Jackson withAllen Toussaint on piano.[51] The album also won the GMA Dove Award for Traditional Gospel Album of the Year.[40]
The Blind Boys released their albumDuets in 2009.[53][54] Each song features a duet between the Blind Boys and another artist; some of these artists includeSusan Tedeschi,Bonnie Raitt, andJohn Hammond.[53][54] Earlier that same year, the group was honored with aLifetime Achievement Award at the52nd Annual Grammy Awards.
In 2010, the Blind Boys were inducted into theAlabama Music Hall of Fame.[15][55]
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In 2011, the group appeared in the live-action/animated feature filmHop.
Vocalist Billy Bowers left the group in 2011 when he was injured and underwent back surgery.[7][56] Bowers' role as vocalist was filled by Ricky McKinnie, who was also the groups' percussionist for many years.[7][56][57] Bowers died July 2, 2013, of heart failure inMontgomery, Alabama, at the age of 71.[56]
In 2013, the Blind Boys releasedI'll Find a Way, produced byJustin Vernon ofBon Iver.[58] The album also features guest appearances bySam Amidon and Merrill Garbus ofTune-Yards.[58] The following year, the Blind Boys releasedTalkin' Christmas! in collaboration with blues musicianTaj Mahal.[59]
In 2016, the Blind Boys contributed toGod Don't Never Change: The Songs of Blind Willie Johnson, atribute album recorded in honor of gospel musicianBlind Willie Johnson.[60] The Blind Boys performed the song "Mother's Children Have a Hard Time", a performance that was nominated forBest American Roots Performance at the60th Annual Grammy Awards.[61] The album was also nominated in the category ofBest Roots Gospel Album.[61]In 2017, the Blind Boys released the albumAlmost Home on BBOA Records in collaboration withAmazon Music.[62][63] Fountain also rejoined the group for the album's recording.[10] The songs on the album were written for the Blind Boys by writers includingMarc Cohn,Phil Cook,John Leventhal, andValerie June.[62][64] 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.[64] The song "Let My Mother Live" from the album was nominated for Best American Roots Performance at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards.[65] 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."[64] On August 28, 2020,Single Lock Records released the Blind Boys' albumAlmost 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 inBaton Rouge, Louisiana.[66] His final performance with the Blind Boys of Alabama was on May 16, 2018, at theManship Theatre there.[66]
September 2018 saw the release of theMuscle Shoals tribute album,Small Town, Big Sound.[67] The Blind Boys, along with blues musicianMike Farris, performed a cover of the song "Respect Yourself."[67] The album also featured cover songs by such artists asSteven Tyler,Willie Nelson,Grace Potter,Chris Stapleton, andKid Rock.[67]
In January 2019, the Blind Boys performed withMarc Cohn at theKatharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center.[68] The performance was broadcast on thePBS live music seriesThe Kate that spring.[69]
Over the summer of 2019, the Blind Boys toured Europe with blind Afro-pop duoAmadou & Mariam.[11] Similar to the Blind Boys, the husband-and-wife duo originally met in 1975 at theBamako Institute for the Blind inMali.[11] During the tour, the two groups of vocalists would provide vocal accompaniment to performances of each group's songs.[11] They would also perform original material that they had created together, such as the songs "Bamako toBirmingham" and "Two Cultures, One Beat."[11]
In August of that same year, the Blind Boys released a collaborative album with Marc Cohn titledWork To Do.[70] The album features Cohn and the Blind Boys performing new and older material by Cohn in addition to renditions of traditional gospel songs.[70][71] Seven of the tracks are recordings from their performance onThe 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".[70][71] On October 15, 2019, the group appeared onToday to perform the title track alongsideMarc Cohn.[72]
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.[73] In 2019,Jason Isbell selected the Blind Boys to join him for his October residency at theRyman Auditorium.[74] Shortly after, they were featured with Irish TV hostHector Ó hEochagáin for his showHector USA.[75] The Blind Boys' 2019 Christmas Tour earned the praise ofThe 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."[76]
In March 2020, the group toured Australia and New Zealand, performing at theWomadelaide andWomad NZ festivals.[77][78] In May 2020,Woodstock legendWavy Gravy included the Blind Boys in his virtual music festival celebrating his 84th birthday.[79]
To kick off 2021, theRecording Academy featured the Blind Boys performing 'If I Had a Hammer' on their "Positive Vibes Only" series.[80] Later that year, the Blind Boys teamed up withBéla Fleck to release a new version of "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free" forRecord Store Day.[81] The song went on to be nominated for aGrammy Award in the Best American Roots Performance category.[82]
Singer Ben Moore (Benjamin Moore, Jr.) died of natural causes on May 12, 2022.[83] He was 80 years old.[83] In July 2022, the Blind Boys were featured as performers at the closing ceremonies of theWorld 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 byLionel Richie.[84]
In September 2022, the Blind Boys released two collaborative tracks withBlack Violin titled "We Are One" and "The Message", the latter of which was nominated for a Grammy forBest Americana Performance.[85][86]The View featured the Blind Boys on Martin Luther King Jr Day 2023, including an interview and multiple performances.[87]
Tenor Paul Beasley died on March 13, 2023, at the age of 78.[88] Beasley was previously a member of such groups as Gospel Keynotes and theMighty Clouds of Joy.[88] He joined the Blind Boys in 2013 after losing his eyesight.[88]
In 2023, the Blind Boys albumEchoes of the South earned three Grammy Award nominations, includingBest Roots Gospel Album, as well asBest American Roots Performance for the song "Heaven Help Us All" andBest Americana Performance for the song "Friendship".[89] The album was named after the Birmingham radio program that hosted the group's first professional performance in 1944.[89] Jimmy Carter retired from the Blind Boys after recording the album, at the age of 91.[89]
| Year | Nominee / work | Category | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Deep River | Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album | Grammy Awards | Nominated |
| 2002 | Spirit of the Century | Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album | Grammy Awards | Won |
| 2003 | Higher Ground | Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album | Grammy Awards | Won |
| Traditional Gospel Album of the Year | Dove Award | Won | ||
| 2004 | Go Tell It on the Mountain | Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album | Grammy Awards | Won |
| 2005 | There Will Be a Light | Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album | Grammy Awards | Won |
| 2006 | Atom Bomb | Traditional Gospel Album of the Year | Dove Award | Won |
| 2009 | Down in New Orleans | Traditional Gospel Album of the Year | Dove Award | Won |
| "Free At Last" | Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year | Dove Award | Won | |
| Down in New Orleans | Best Traditional Gospel Album | Grammy Awards | Won | |
| The Blind Boys of Alabama | Lifetime Achievement Award | Grammy Awards | Won | |
| 2016 | God Don't Never Change: The Songs of Blind Willie Johnson | Best Roots Gospel Album | Grammy Awards | Nominated |
| 2016 | "Mother's Children Have a Hard Time", from the albumGod Don't Never Change: The Songs of Blind Willie Johnson | Best American Roots Performance | Grammy Awards | Nominated |
| 2017 | "Let My Mother Live", from their albumAlmost Home | Best American Roots Performance | Grammy Awards | Nominated |
| 2021 | "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free", withBéla Fleck | Best American Roots Performance | Grammy Awards | Nominated |
| 2022 | "The Message", withBlack Violin | Best Americana Performance | Grammy Awards | Nominated |
| 2023 | Echoes of the South | Best Roots Gospel Album | Grammy Awards | TBA |
| "Heaven Help Us All" | Best American Roots Performance | Grammy Awards | TBA | |
| "Friendship" | Best Americana Performance | Grammy Awards | TBA |
| Year | Honor | Presenter |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | National Heritage Fellowship | National Endowment for the Arts |
| 2003 | Hall of fame inductees | Gospel Music Hall of Fame |
| 2005 | Helen Keller Personal Achievement Award | American Foundation for the Blind |
| 2005 | First Niarchos Prize for Survivorship | Queen Noor of Jordan on behalf of theLandmine Survivors Network |
| 2010 | Hall of fame inductees | Alabama Music Hall of Fame |
| Name | Years active | Instruments |
|---|---|---|
| Ricky McKinnie (c. 1952)[7] | 1990–present[30][90] | Vocals, percussion |
| Joey Williams | ?–present[90] | Vocals, lead guitar |
| Julius Love | ?-present | Vocals |
| Peter Levin | ?–present[90] | Organ |
| Stephen Raynard Ladson | ?–present[90] | Bass |
| Name | Years active | Instruments | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarence Fountain (November 28, 1929–June 3, 2018)[66] | 1939–2007, 2017–2018 | Vocals | |
| George Scott (1929–2005)[49][91] | 1939–2005 | Vocals | |
| Vel Bozman Traylor (1923–1947)[91] | 1939–1947 | Vocals | |
| Johnny Fields (1927–2009)[91][92] | 1939–? | Vocals | |
| Olice Thomas (b. 1926, deceased)[91] | 1939–? | Vocals | Date of death unknown. |
| J. T. Hutton (c. 1924–July 27, 2012)[93] | 1939–? | Vocals | The only sighted original member. |
| Name | Years active | Instruments | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jimmy Carter (c. 1932)[94] | 1982–2023[28][89] | Vocals | |
| Bishop Billy Bowers (c. 1942, d. July 2, 2013)[56] | 1968–2011[56] | Vocals | |
| Caleb "Bobby" Butler | 1979–2008[28] | Vocalist, bass[28][25] | Butler is sighted.[25] No relation to Samuel Butler Jr.[28] |
| Samuel Butler Jr. | 1972–1994[28] | Vocals, rhythm guitar, songwriter, arranger, manager[citation needed] | No relation to Caleb "Bobby" Butler.[28] |
| Ben Moore (b. August 7, 1941, d. May 12, 2022)[83] | 2006–2022[50][90] | Vocals | |
| Paul Beasley (b. December 11, 1944, d. March 13, 2023)[88] | 2013–2023[88] | Vocals | |
| Roscoe Robinson[citation needed] | Vocals | ||
| Charles Porter[citation needed] | Vocals | ||
| Dwight Fields (deceased)[citation needed] | Vocals |
Dispute over origins: Fountain is also disturbed by claims made by Carter that he was an original member of the Alabama Blind Boys and, hence, the only original still performing with the group. Carter was, in fact, a student at the school when the group was formed in 1938. According to Fountain, he did sing with other members of the group in the school's choir, but not with the group itself. "We didn't like his voice, so we didn't invite him in," Fountain said. "I was an original Blind Boy of Alabama, but when they left school in 1944, I didn't go," Carter, 77, said after a concert in Modesto. "I was too young. I went back to school." Carter's first recorded appearance with the Blind Boys of Alabama was in 1982 on "I'm a Soldier in the Army of the Lord." Before joining them for that album, he had spent more than a dozen years with the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi and, before that, sang with the Dixieland Blind Boys.
Jimmy Carter is billed as the only founding member of the band still performing. Although he was enrolled at the school and a member of the chorus, he was too young at the time to join when the group first began touring. Despite some controversy, Carter is still described as a founding member of the band, though he did not appear in a recorded performance with the Blind Boys until the 1982 record I'm a Soldier in the Army of the Lord.
Jimmy Carter, billed as an original member since he was enrolled in the Alabama institute when the group started performing, but was too young to join them, is the elder statesman and lead singer.
Jimmy Carter finally became a permanent fifth member of the group in the early 1980s (again after an apprenticeship with the Mississippi 5.)
Soul originally was used by gospel quartets in the 1950s to identify the spiritual nature of their music. In the 1960s, it was used by jazz musicians to categorize contemporary hard bop, also linked to spiritual expression. Its use over the years led to the term being used more commonly to describe allpopular music byAfrican Americans.Billboard magazine, who had in 1949 changed the music category it used for black popular music from race music to rhythm and blues, now changed rhythm and blues to soul in 1969.
In 1994, the group was awarded the NEA National Heritage Fellowship, presented by First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. . . . They even performed on the popular Fox Television show, "Beverly Hills 90210." That year also broth the group's debut on the House of Blues Music Company. A live album, "I Brought Him With Me," showcased the group's ability to musically change with the times, while remaining true to their basic style, That is obvious on the latest HOB Music Company release, Holdin' On." From cut to cut, it takes the listener on a new inspirational experience. Beginning with the encouraging title track, from the funky "Sacrifice." to the closing tune, "The Spirit of the Lord is Coming Down," it promises to bless hearts and soul. Of "Holdin' On," Fountain says, "We tried to get all phases of the music on the album. We've got tunes that I think will fit any audience."
"Holdin' On" is the latest release by The Blind Boys of Alabama. It continues the group's gospel tradition of gospel music while encompassing a broad range of styles such as reggae.
For its 2003 Christmas project, the group worked with producer John Cherlew and executive producer Chris Goldsmith, who recruited a stellar cast of guest singers and musicians, including Solomon Burke, Tom Waits, Michael Franti, Chrissie Hynde, Richard Thompson, Aaron Neville, Mavis Staples, Shelby Lynne, George Clinton, Robert Randolph, Me'shell Ndegeocello and Les McCann, for its Grammy-nominated recording "Go Tell It on the Mountain". On Thursday at the Community Theatre in Morristown and on Friday at the Beacon Theatre in New York City, the Blind Boys of Alabama will perform Christmas songs as well as songs from their two previous Grammy-winning albums, 2001's "Spirit of the Century" and 2002's "Higher Ground."
But when Harper lent that guitar to gospel hybridizers the Blind Boys of Alabama on two of their albums, Higher Ground and Spirit of the Century. . . .the majority of the album's songs are Harper originals. . . . subtly shifts into the Bob Dylan-Danny O'Keefe tune Well, Well, Well.
George Scott, 75, singer, died of complications from diabetes and a heart condition March 9 in Durham, N.C. Scott was a founding member of the Grammy-award winning Blind Boys of Alabama gospel group.
Carter, and fellow Blind Boys Eric "Ricky" McKinnie, Ben Moore and Paul Beasley (who are also blind), and Joey Williams, Stephen Raynard Ladson and Peter Levin will be hitting Tucson to spread some holiday cheer next week.[permanent dead link]
In 1937 Clarence Fountain (b. 1929) was an elementary school student singing in the Talladega Institute for the Deaf and Blind Glee Club. Fountain and a friend, Johnny Fields (b. 1927), selected George Scott (b. 1929), Olice Thomas (b. 1926), and Velma Bozman Traylor (1923–47) from the Glee Club and formed the Happy Land Jubilee Singers.
Henderson lost one of its shining stars when Johnny Fields died on Nov 12.
J. T. Hutton, age 88, a native of Birmingham, passed away July 27, 2012.
"It's something that we've never done before," stresses the group's Jimmy Carter, 85, to Billboard.
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