NEW ALBUM 'DOWN IN NEW ORLEANS' OUT JAN 29 ON TIME LIFE

BLIND BOYS JOIN GOSPEL CARAVAN AT NEW YORK CITY CENTER JAN 25

Four time GRAMMY Awards winners The Blind Boys of Alabama are plotting a

national tour in support of their new album 'Down In New Orleans' (Jan

29/Time Life). To kick off the tour, the group will join an all-star lineup

of Gospel music legends including The Dixie Hummingbirds, Chuck Campbell,

and the McIntosh County Shouters in the National Heritage Masters: Gospel

Caravan concert January 25. The tour also sees the band sharing bills with

Mavis Staples and Taj Mahal.

Blind Boys' concerts are joyous celebrations. The Boston Globe observed

earlier this month, "In concert, the Blind Boys of Alabama still raise up

their bluesy hallelujahs to rarefied soul-groove highs." In a recent concert

review, The Boston Herald said, "[The] Blind Boys wow... the night was as

solid as a rock." The Philadelphia Inquirer agreed, "In their own way, The

Blind Boys have given black vernacular music a 21st century significance."

They may be from Alabama but they've been spending time in the Crescent

City. The Blind Boys' new album 'Down In New Orleans,' their first in three

years, will be released January 29, 2008 on the Time Life Music label.

The Blind Boys of Alabama are Jimmy Carter, Eric 'Ricky' McKinnie, Joey

Williams, Caleb 'Bobby' Butler, Tracy Pierce, Billy Bowers and Ben Moore.

THE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA – 2008 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR:

1/25/2008      

New York City Center 

New York, NY (w/ Gospel Caravan)

1/26/2008      

Bearsville Theatre           

Woodstock, NY

2/6/2008       

Attucks Theater               

Norfolk, VA

2/8/2008        

Duke University              

Durham, NC (w/ Mavis Staples)

2/10/2008    

Carnival Center               

Miami, FL (w/ Mavis Staples)

2/12/2008      

Oberlin College               

Oberlin, OH

2/13/2008      

The Kent Stage                

Kent, OH

2/15/2008     

Michigan State University  

East Lansing, MI

2/16/2008      

Mayo Civic Center             

Rochester, MN

2/22/2008      

Jacoby Hall                   

Jacksonville, FL

2/23/2008      

Jacoby Hall                   

Jacksonville, FL

3/7/2008        

Knitting Factory              

Los Angeles, CA

3/8/2008        

Coach House                   

San Juan Capistrano, CA

3/9/2008        

Belly Up                      

Solana Beach, CA

3/14/2008      

Humboldt State University 

Arcata, CA

3/15/2008      

Stanford Lively Arts          

Stanford, CA

3/16/2008      

Gallo Center for The Arts   

Modesto, CA

3/20/2008      

Savannah Music Festival  

Savannah, GA (w/ Adolphus Bell)

5/23/2008      

Burton Cummings Theatre 

Winnipeg, MB (w/ Taj Mahal)

5/24/2008      

Esplanade Center              

Medicine Hat, ALB (w/ Taj Mahal)

5/25/2008      

Winspear Centre               

Edmonton, AB (w/ Taj Mahal)

5/26/2008     

Jack Singer Concert Hall 

Calgary, AB (w/ Taj Mahal)

5/28/2008      

Royal Theatre                 

Victoria, BC (w/ Taj Mahal)

5/29/2008      

Centre for Performing Arts 

Vancouver, BC (w/ Taj Mahal)

5/30/2008      

Casino Regina                 

Regina, SK

They may be from Alabama but they've been spending time in the Crescent City. Four-time Grammy winners The Blind Boys of Alabama's new album 'Down In New Orleans,' their first in three years, will be released January 29, 2008 on the Time Life Music label. Recording for the first time in New Orleans, The Blind Boys are backed here by a trio of world-class New Orleans musicians: David Torkanowsky (piano), Roland Guerin (bass) and Shannon Powell (drums). Other guests include legendary pianist/producer and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Allen Toussaint, The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and the horn-heavy Hot 8 Brass Band, one of the city's most vital young acts. But the band's deeply soulful and natural voices remain in the spotlight on 'Down In Orleans.' After performing together for over six decades, The Blind Boys of Alabama have enjoyed one of the more striking comebacks in recent memory. Their last several albums have earned these hipster septuagenarians the best reviews and record sales of their career, four Grammy Awards in a four year span, and a completely new, contemporary audience.

'Down In New Orleans' track listing:  

1. Free At Last 

2. Make a Better World (with The Hot 8 Brass Band) 

3. How I Got Over 

4. You Got To Move 

5. Across the Bridge (with The Preservation Hall Jazz Band) 

6. You Better Mind 

7. Down by the Riverside (with The Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Allen Toussaint) 

8. If I Could Help Somebody (with Allen Toussaint) 

9. Uncloudy Day (with The Preservation Hall Jazz Band) 

10. A Prayer 

11. I've Got A Home 

12. I'll Fly Away (with The Hot 8 Brass Band)

More DOWN IN NEW ORLEANS... The Blind Boys will perform with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band at Preservation Hall in New Orleans, La. on Sunday, Sept. 30 to preview their new album, "Down in New Orleans." The special music preview is from 6- 8 pm. "Down in New Orleans" will be released on Jan. 29, 2008 on Time Life Music. To read more about the album, click here.

The Blind Boys will perform with BB King, Paul Rodgers, George Thorogood, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd in San Diego for the "Concert of Hope" honoring BB King on October 12, 2007 at SDSU's Open Air Theatre. Also dubbed "The Concert to End Youth Homelessness," the concert will raise money for Photocharity, a charity dedicated to end youth homelessness nationwide. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.

The Blind Boys performed with the String Cheese Incident at their second of four sold-out shows at the Beacon Theater in New York City on July 12. The Blind Boys did the encore with String Cheese, their signature version of "Amazing Grace" set to the tune of "House of the Rising Sun."

The Blind Boys received the Lifetime Achievement in Music Award at the 34th Annual Vision Awards held in Beverly Hills, Ca. on June 16. The award was presented to the group by the legendary Stevie Wonder. After receiving their award, the group performed Stevie's classic song "Higher Ground" with Stevie, which the group covered on their album from 2002 of the same name. It marked the first time that the Blind Boys and Stevie performed together in concert. It was truly a special night for all in attendance, and the Blind Boys are grateful for the honor.

Clarence Fountain will be performing with The Blind Boys of Alabama whenever possible but his availability is subject to his health, which has been compromised by diabetes. Even so, the Blind Boys' energetic show will remain as strong as ever with Ben Moore stepping in for Clarence. Ben has performed over 50 shows with the Blind Boys, has had his own Grammy-nominated gospel career, and in the past also worked with the likes of Otis Redding and James Brown. Clarence appreciates your thoughts and prayers. In the meantime, the Blind Boys' tradition continues.

The Blind Boys completed their annual "Go Tell It On the Mountain" Christmas Tour with a soul-stirring show at the Walt Disney Hall in Los Angeles, CA. on Dec. 23. To read a review of this show, please click here.

Go Tell It On the Mountain: Live in New York" the Blind Boys first concert DVD filmed in Dec. 2003 at the historic Beacon Theatre, features material from the last three Grammy Award-winning releases, with special guest appearances from Chrissie Hynde, Aaron Neville, Charlie Musselwhite, and Mavis Staples among many others. To purchase it and other merchandise, please visit here.

The Blind Boys of Alabama took home the Traditional Gospel Album of the Year honor for their current release, "Atom Bomb," at 37th annual GMA Music Awards (formerly the Dove Awards) held at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tenn. That makes five CONSECUTIVE albums that have received Grammys and/or GMA Music Awards in the last five years! "We've been together for six decades but we're still going strong. We're going to continue until God says it's enough," said Jimmy Carter upon receiving the award.

"Atom Bomb" gets three stars in Rolling Stone! Click here to read the review and here to buy.

Watch the new video for "Spirit in the Sky" from "Atom Bomb:"

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Want to be a soldier in the Blind Boys Army! Join the Blind Boys street team to help promote the Blind Boys in your town, and win a pair of tickets to the show. For more info. email: info@blindambitionmgt.com.