The Blind Boys of Alabama
The Blind Boys of Alabama are a gospel music group from Alabama that first … Read Full Bio ↴The Blind Boys of Alabama are a gospel music group from Alabama that first formed at the Talledega School for the Deaf and Blind in 1939.

Although the Blind Boys of Alabama have been singing gospel music for more than five decades, it's only recently that the group has had the benefit of a major record company behind them. The founding members were Clarence Fountain, Johnny Fields, George Scott, Ollice Thomas, and Vel Trayler. The current group consists of Eric McKinney, Billy Bowers, Jimmy Carter, Joey Williams, and Donald Dillion.

From their inception in the 1930s, when all were boys, all members of the group except one were blind. They began singing when all were students, in the glee club, at the Talladega Institute for the Deaf and Blind in Alabama, but didn't begin recording until 1948. As a youth, Fountain heard the legendary Golden Gate Quintet on the radio; the early Five Blind Boys of Alabama took their musical cues from that group. The group began singing professionally as the Happyland Jubilee Singers, and for years only toured the Bible Belt in the Southern U.S.

Since 1948, they've recorded for a variety of small record companies, and had gospel music hits in the 1950s with "Oh, Lord Stand By Me" and "I Can See Everybody's Mother But I Can't See Mine". In 1950, after the death of one of their members, the group renamed themselves simply the Blind Boys of Alabama.

The group recorded first for the Newark-based Coleman Records label. Between 1953 and 1957, the group recorded for Art Rupe's California-based Specialty label. In the 1960s, the group's hard-driving gospel sounds were imitated by people like Bobby "Blue" Bland and Marvin Gaye. The group recorded extensively for the Vee Jay label from 1963 to 1965. In 1969, Fountain left the group for a decade to try to make it on his own, and the group re-formed with all the original members in the late 1970s.

They gained widespread success in 1988, when they starred in an Obie Award-winning Broadway show. According to Fountain, the group's high point was being on Broadway for 15 weeks with the musical Gospel at Colonus. The musical opened up new avenues to bookings for the group, and they began touring theaters and larger churches in the early 1990s, embarking on their first European tours as well. The group was awarded a National Heritage Fellowship in 1994. In 1994 and 1995, the group played festivals including the Philadelphia Folk Festival, the Beale Street Music Festival and the King Biscuit Blues Festival. The group also toured in Melbourne, Australia and the World's Fair, in Brisbane.
Mid-1990s television appearances included Black Entertainment Television's On Jazz, and even a cameo on Beverly Hills, 90210.

Since the turn of the century, founding members, George Scott (2005) and Johnny Fields (2009) passed away. Clarence Fountain remains the only living founding member. The group is still performing, under the vocal leadership of longtime member, Jimmy Carter. Releases by the group in recent years have been favorites at the Grammy Awards — they have won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album every year since 2002. The Blind Boys of Alabama were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2002. Their cover of the Tom Waits song "Way Down in The Hole" was featured as the opening theme for season one of HBO's The Wire. In 2008 they released Down in New Orleans, on which they were accompanied by such Crescent City legends as the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Allen Toussaint.

Founding members
Jimmy Carter – vocals
Clarence Fountain – vocals (November 28, 1929 - June, 3, 2018)
Johnny Fields (deceased) – vocals
George Scott (d. 2005) – vocals
Olice Thomas (deceased) – vocals
Vel Bozman Traylor (deceased) – vocals


Past members
Bishop Billy Bowers (deceased, July 2, 2013) – vocals
Caleb Butler – rhythm guitar
Samuel Butler Jr – rhythm guitar, songwriter and arranger, manager, second lead singer
Roscoe Robinson – lead vocals
Charles Porter - vocals
Lamont Blount (deceased) – band manager
ALBUMS TRACK LIST SIMILAR ARTISTS
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The Blind Boys Of Alabama Lyrics


11 Just Wanna See His Face Take it easy That's all right, that's all right, that's…
A Prayer A prayer Just what would I say Think of those around need…
Across the Bridge I have lived a life of sin, in this world…
Amazing Grace Amazing grace! How sweet the sound That saved the wretch lik…
Atom Bomb (You know now) Everybody's worried (hey now) about that atom…
Broken Heart of Mine Out of all, all, all you say and do Gonna be…
Brother Moses Finjo ser invisível Pra não ter que te encarar Afogo na pisc…
By & By How do we see? See by faith How do we see? See by…
Can You Give Me a Drink? Jesus, on a journey, headed up to Galilee, Stopped into Sama…
Danny Boy Oh, Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling From glen…
Deep River Deep river, my home is over Jordan, Deep river, Lord…
Demons They said, "She had a heart attack" I think the creature's…
Down By The Riverside Oh, hallelujah to the lamb Down by the river The Lord is…



Faith And Grace And when my burden seems hard to bare And there is…
Free At Last Free at last, free at last I thank God I'm free…
Freedom Road Tell me which road are you traveling Which road are you…
Give A Man A Home Have you ever lost your way Have you ever feared another…
Go Tell It On The Mountain Go tell it on the mountain, Over the hills and ev'rywhere. …
Good Religion So glad I got good religion. So glad I got good…
Goodbye Mother Goodbye, Mother, I'm sorry, sorry to my heart So long, Mothe…
He'll Be There I wish we could live forever Then melt into the sun Melt…
Heard The Angels Moan I went down in the valley one day I heard the…
Higher Ground People keep on learnin' Soldiers keep on warrin' World kee…
How I Got Over How I got over How I got over, my Lord And my…
I Just Want To See His Face Take it easy That's all right, that's all right, that's…
I Know a Place Well, I know I've been converted Do you, do you? Well, I…
I Pray On Christmas I pray on Christmas That the Lord will see me through I…
I Saw the Light I wandered so aimless life filed with sin I wouldn't let…
I Shall Not Walk Alone Battered and torn Still I can see the light Tattered and wor…
I Wanna Know Well, I know I've been converted Do you, do you? Well, I…
I Was A Burden Heal yourself Is what you should do Forgive yourself Like I …
I'll Fly Away Some glad morning when this life is o'er I'll fly away To…
I've Been 'buked Well, I know I've been converted Do you, do you? Well, I…
I've Got a Home Why don't you swing down sweet chariot Stop and let me…
If I Could Help Somebody If I can help somebody As I travel along If I can…
Ill Fly Away Some glad morning when this life is o'er I'll fly away To…
In The Garden I come to the garden alone While the dew is still…
It's Alright Alright, see'mon oh baby, alright I need some time to get…
Jesus It hangs above my altar Like they hung Him from a…
Jesus Gonna Be Here Well, jesus will be here Be here soon He's gonna cover us…
Joy To The World Joy to the World , the Lord is come! Let earth…
Just A Closer Walk With Thee Just a closer walk with Thee, Grant it, Jesus, if you…
Just Wanna See His Face Take it easy That's all right, that's all right, that's…
Let's Make a Better World The world we know Is built on skills And that alone…
Little Drummer Boy Come, they told me pa-rum pum pum pum Our newborn King…
Love Lifted Me (Spoken) The old cowboy sits around the camp fire Talks abou…
Magnificent Sanctuary Band Well you better listen my sister's and brothers, 'cause if…
Make a Better World The world we know Is built on skills And that alone…
Many Rivers To Cross Many rivers to cross But I can't seem to find my…
Merry Christmas to You Have yourself a merry little Christmas Let your heart be lig…
Moses Moses, Moses Don't you let King Pharaoh overtake you Moses, …
Mother Goodbye, Mother, I'm sorry, sorry to my heart So long, Mothe…
Motherless Child Sometimes I feel Like a motherless child :| Sometimes I feel…
New Born Soul I got a new way of walking, new way of…
No More No more, No more. No more, No more. I'll never turn back…
Nobody's Fault But Mine Ain't nobody's fault but mine Nobody's fault but mine If I d…
None of Us Are Free Well you better listen my sister's and brothers, 'cause if y…
Nothing But the Blood What can wash away my sin What can make me whole…
Oh Come All Ye Faithful Oh, come ye O come ye to Bethlehem Come and behold him Bo…
Oh Happy Day Oh happy day (oh happy day) Oh happy day (oh happy…
Old Time Religion Give me that old time religion Tis the old time religion, Ti…
People Get Ready People get ready There's a train a-coming You don't need no …
Precious Lord I wandered so aimless, life filled with sin I wouldn't let…
Presence of The Lord I have finally found the way to live Just like I…
Put Your Hand in the Hand Put your hand in the hand of the man Who stilled…
Reach Out and Touch Reach out and touch Somebody's hand Make this world a better…
Reminiscing Yo, I've got a little story that I'd like to…
Run On For A Long Time First up, great God, let me tell you the news My…
Satisfied How many times have you heard someone say "If I had…
Shine Your Light You can't be a beacon If your light don't shine You can't…
Silent Night Silent night, holy night All is calm, all is bright Round yo…
Soldier I'm a soldier in the army of the Lord Soldier in…
Spirit In The Dark I-I'm gettin' the spirit in the dark I'm gettin' the…
Swing Low Sweet Chariot Well, well, well, well I looked over yonder and what I…
Take My Hand Lord I work to serve you And I hope I've served…
Take My Hand Precious Lord Precious Lord, take my hand Lead me on, let me stand I'm…
Take the High Road When you feel like there's nowhere to go Get up and…
Talk About Suffering Talk about suffering here below Let's keep talking about Jes…
The Christmas Song Chestnuts roasting on an open fire Jack Frost nipping at yo…
The Christmas Song (feat. Shel Chestnuts roasting on an open fire Jack Frost nipping at you…
The Cross Black day, stormy night No love, no hope in sight Don't cry,…
The Last Time This may be the last time This may be the last…
This May Be the Last Time This may be the last time This may be the last…
Uncloudy Day O they tell me of a home far beyond the…
Wade In The Water Wade in? the water Come on and Wade in the water…
Walk With Me Just a closer walk with Thee, Grant it, Jesus, if you…
Way Down in the Hole When you walk through the garden You gotta watch your back W…
Welcome There is nothing complicated About the way we live We are …
Welcome Table Everyone's invited this is how we live We're all here for…
Where There's A Will I wish we could live forever Then melt into the sun Melt…
White Christmas I'm dreaming of a white Christmas Just like the ones…
You When you're down and troubled And you need a helping hand An…
You And Your Folks You can't be a beacon If your light don't shine You can't…
You And Your Folks/23rd Psalm (let me hear you say) Yeah, yeah, yeah (let me hear you…
You Better Mind [Chorus:] You better mind (You better mind) You better mind …
You Don't Know You can't be a beacon If your light don't shine You can't…
You Got To Move When you're down and troubled And you need a helping hand An…


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