Blind Boys of Alabama Bring Joy and Harmony

By Journalist Ms. Jones

PEEKSKILL – If you love quartet music, then The Blind Boys of Alabama Christmas Tour is one not to be missed! On Sunday, December 3 The Blind Boys of Alabama performed at the Paramount Hudson Valley Theater. This was the second stop on their Christmas Tour which started December 2 in New Haven, Connecticut.

The Blind Boys of Alabama have been doing their Christmas Tour ever since 2002. They sang some of their classic gospel soul-stirring hits. They also sang songs from their Christmas CD titled “Go Tell it on the Mountain” including the title cut “Go Tell it on the Mountain,” “White Christmas,” “Silent Night,” and “Last Month of the Year.”

The group has existed for over seventy years. The original members met when they were kids at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind. The group still has an original member that sings… Jimmy Carter.

“[The rest of the Blind Boys consist of] Ben Moore, he’s been here about ten years; Paul Beasley, he’s been here about four years; I’m Ricky McKinnie, I’ve been here about… thirty years; and Joey Williams the guitar player, he’s been here… twenty-six years,” said McKinnie who was the original drummer for the Blind Boys of Alabama and is also their business manager.

They have performed through the civil rights movement all the way through the social media age. They have broken barriers of genre and race.

“We’ve been fortunate enough, God showed favor on us. We’ve sang for three presidents: Clinton, Bush, and Obama… We sang at the White House… on gospel specials,” said McKinnie.

The Blind Boys of Alabama have earned five Grammy Awards in the Best Traditional Album category and one for Lifetime Achievement. They are currently nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best American Roots Performance for the song titled “Let My Mother Live” from their new CD “Almost Home.”

“It just feels good to be nominated, to just even be thought about,” said McKinnie.

The accolades feel great, but the group remains on a mission to spread the gospel.

“The greatest thing that happens is when people come to us and say that our music changed their lives… A gentleman told us that he had an operation and he wanted them to play the Blind Boys’ music while they were operating on him and everything worked out fine,” said McKinnie.

The Blind Boys of Alabama Christmas Tour features the Preservation Hall Legacy Horns. Ruthie Foster will also join them for a few dates. If your missed this stop on the Christmas Tour, you may be able to catch them on another stop. The tour ends on December 22. Visit www.blindboys.com for more information.

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