By Mary Colurso
The Blind Boys of Alabama added three Grammy nominations to their long and distinguished resume on Friday, earning nods from the Recording Academy for a new album, “Echoes of the South.”
The harmonizing gospel troupe, formed during the 1930s at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind in Talladega, already has five Grammy Awards and 12 previous nominations to its credit. On Friday, the Blind Boys received a new nomination in the category of Best Roots Gospel Album for “Echoes of the South.” The 11-track album was recorded at The Nutthouse in Sheffield and released in September by Single Lock Records, a label based in the Shoals.
The Blind Boys also were nominated for Best American Roots Performance for “Heaven Help Us All” and Best Americana Performance for “Friendship.” Both songs are included on “Echoes of the South.”
Single Lock Records touted the Blind Boys’ nominations on Friday with a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), saying, “THREE GRAMMY NOMINATIONS for this amazing record. Congratulations to @blindboys!!!!”
The Blind Boys have been faithful to their gospel roots over the years, although original members such as Clarence Fountain and George Scott have died.
“‘Echoes Of The South,’ draws its name from the Birmingham radio program that hosted the group’s very first professional performance back in 1944,” says a press release for the album posted on Bandcamp. “Pairing traditional spirituals and long-lost gospel classics with vintage soul and R&B tunes, the collection is as moving as it is timeless, transcending genre and era to touch something deep and fundamental about the human condition. These are songs of love and friendship, joy and gratitude, faith and perseverance. Uplifting as they are, the recordings can feel bittersweet at times, too: 91-year-old Jimmy Carter retired from performing following the sessions, while two longtime members, Paul Beasley and Benjamin Moore Jr., have since passed away. Despite the losses, the Blind Boys of Alabama show no signs of slowing down.”
The Blind Boys of Alabama previously won Grammys in the categories of Best Traditional Gospel Album and Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album, for “Down in New Orleans,” “There Will Be a Light,” “Go Tell It On the Mountain,” “Higher Ground” and “Spirit of the Century.” The group also has been nominated in categories such as Best Americana Performance, Best American Roots Performance and Best Gospel Performance.
Grammy nominees in 94 categories were announced on Friday by the Recording Academy. Winners of the 2024 awards will be announced on Feb. 4 in Los Angeles. Although a handful of trophies will be awarded during a televised ceremony that Sunday at the Crypto.com Arena, most winners will be announced earlier in the day at an event known as the Grammys Premiere Ceremony.
The categories the Blind Boys are competing in typically are part of the Premiere Ceremony, held at a theater across the street from the Crypto.com Arena. It’s now called the Peacock Theater, and was formerly known as the Microsoft Theater.
The Blind Boys are competing against Alabama native Jason Isbell’s “King of Oklahoma” for Best Americana Performance, as well as Tyler Childers’ “Help Me Make It Through The Night,” Allison Russell’s “The Returner,” and Brandy Clark’s “Dear Insecurity,” featuring Brandi Carlile. Isbell, a Shoals native, also earned three Grammy nominations on Friday.
