| The Blind Boys of Alabama have few contenders | | | | music to secular audiences worked due to their |
| within the gospel music industry, neither for their | | | | passion, energy and musical variations which |
| longevity spanning, over five generations, nor their | | | | embraced non black musical forms, attracting a wider |
| contribution to gospel music in general. Their music | | | | secular audience. |
| embodies the black experience in the second half of | | | | In 1983 the group made regular successful |
| the twentieth century in the United States. | | | | appearances in the award winning musical theatrical |
| Clarence Fountain, the band's long-time lead vocalist | | | | production The Gospel at Colonus. Ironically, their |
| was blind from the age of two and was later sent by | | | | involvement in the musical, whilst raising public |
| his parents to Talladega Institute for the Deaf and | | | | awareness of the band, led to a temporary split |
| Blind near Birmingham, Alabama in 1937. There, he | | | | among its members: one camp, led by Johnny Fields |
| soon joined the school choir and in 1940 formed the | | | | and George Scott, branched out, reverting back to |
| Happyland Jubilee Singers with his fellow blind school | | | | the original name, the Five Blind Boys of Alabama. |
| friends. This group was a forerunner of the Blind | | | | Meanwhile, the rest of the band, led by Clarence |
| Boys of Alabama which was formed in 1948. A year | | | | Fountain continued touring as Clarence Fountain and |
| later in 1949, Blind Boys of Alabama recorded their | | | | the Five Blind Boys of Alabama. In 1989, both camps |
| first notable hit: "I Can See Everybody's Mother But | | | | reunited and throughout the nineties and well into the |
| Mine." | | | | new millennium, enjoyed some of the biggest |
| Over a period of five decades their music symbolised | | | | successes in their marathon career, gaining increased |
| oppression and the redeeming grace of hope, that | | | | prominence recording under Peter Gabriel's Real World |
| one day Jesus will set His people free. Although | | | | record label. |
| throughout the illustrious and long tenure of the band, | | | | In 1993, over fifty years after their inception, the |
| members came and left, the mainstay of the band | | | | band were nominated for a Grammy Award for their |
| remained in tact for half a century in the form of | | | | popular album Deep River, brilliantly produced by |
| Clarence Fountain, Jimmy Carter, George Scott and | | | | Booker T. Jones. In March 2005, George Scott, an |
| Johnny Fields. | | | | original founding member of the band, died at the of |
| The band's ethos from the onset was to go out and | | | | 75. A year later in 2006, health reasons forced |
| preach the gospel beyond the church through song, | | | | Clarence Fountain, the band's long-time lead vocalist |
| into the secular world, mainly in nightclubs. The | | | | and another founding member, to restrict his tours |
| former head of the band, Fountain says:"Jesus | | | | with the rest of the band. Today, led by their lead |
| mingled with the sinners and the wine drinkers. My | | | | vocal, Jimmy Lee Carter, the band still maintains an |
| concept is that gospel must go into every phase of | | | | active touring schedule all across the United States |
| life. If God is in you, no matter where you are, you'll | | | | and internationally. |
| feel it. I'm sure." This strategy of expanding their | | | | |