Description of Blind Boys of Alabama's Music:
Folk-blues, gospel, soulComparisons:
Blind Boys of Alabama may best be compared to a combination of Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Leadbelly, and Ben Harper.Recommended Blind Boys of Alabama CDs:
Bridge Over Troubled Water (Calvin, 1993)
The Best of the Five Blind Boys of Alabama (Calvin, 2004)
If I Had a Hammer (Intersound, 2005)
Blind Boys of Alabama - The Band Members:
Clarence Fountain - vocals/founding member
Jimmy Carter - vocals/founding member
George Scott - vocals/founding member
Eric "Ricky" McKinnie - drums
Caleb Butler - rhythm guitar
Joey Williams - lead guitar
Tracy Pierce - bass
Blind Boys of Alabama Biography:
The original group formed back in 1939 a the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind. For the next forty years, the Blind Boys toured around working the gospel scene.
In 1983, the group played a role in The Gospel at Colonus - an award-winning musical theatre production that enjoyed success both on and off Broadway. They also appeared on a couple of soundtrack recordings in the late eighties that brought their sound to a newer, younger, more versatile audience.
Finally, after 53 years in the music industry, the Blind Boys were nominated for a [link url-http://folkmusic.about.com/od/news/a/06GrammyReview.htm]Grammy Award[/link] in 1992 for their album Deep River, which was produced by Booker T. Jones. This CD marked the first time the Blind Boys gospel-ized non-gospel music, with their cover of Bob Dylan's "I Believe in You."
In 2001, the Boys won their first Grammy for their CD Spirit of the Century, which blended their traditional soul, gospel stylings with contemporary songs.
Since then, they have played with great folks like the Robert Randolph Family Band, Ben Harper, Aaron Neville, Mavis Staples, and more. They were nominated for a Lifetime Achievement Award for the 2009 Grammy Awards.
