Blind Boys of Alabama (Myron's)

The Blind Boys of Alabama are recognized worldwide as living legends of gospel music. With a career spanning more than seven decades, their numerous accolades include six Grammy Awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award from both the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and The Recording Academy/Grammys, as well as induction into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

The group has consistently defined itself by crossing musical boundaries, offering remarkable interpretations of traditional gospel and contemporary spiritual material by diverse songwriters such as Eric Clapton, Prince and Tom Waits. This expansive approach has led to collaborations with a wide array of esteemed artists, including Lou Reed, Peter Gabriel, Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Aaron Neville, Susan Tedeschi, Ben Harper, Patty Griffin and Taj Mahal.

Their history is a portrait of perseverance, chronicling a journey from singing for pocket change in the Jim Crow South to performing for three American presidents, soundtracking the civil rights movement and defining modern gospel music. Their most-recent LP, Echoes of the South, continues this legacy. The 11-song collection is a bold declaration of future intent, released in honor of recently departed members Paul Beasley and Benjamin Moore, as well as the late President Jimmy Carter. The album and the group's mission remain rooted in their core statement: "As long as everybody gives all that they have to give and we sing songs that touch the heart, we'll live on forever."

The Blind Boys' recent collaborative efforts have yielded continuous industry recognition. In 2022, their collaboration with Béla Fleck, “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free,” which reimagines Nina Simone’s civil rights anthem, earned them a Grammy Award nomination. They followed this in 2023 with a nomination for best Americana single for “The Message,” featuring Black Violin (Black Violin will return to Reynolds Hall on April 14, 2026). This success culminated in a return to the Grammy Awards in 2024, where Echoes of the South secured three nominations and won for Best Roots Gospel Album. The year also included a sold-out Australian tour, a highly visible performance with Tom Jones during the Bluesfest Byron Bay and the release of the definitive insider history, the book titled Spirit of the Century, in March 2024.