Spirit of the Century: Our Own Story

by The Blind Boys of Alabama, Preston Lauterbach (Primary Contributor)

An insider history of the Blind Boys of Alabama, the longest running group in American music, and the untold story of their world, written with band members and key musical colleagues, drawing from the group’s private archive

The Blind Boys of Alabama are the quintessential Gospel vocal group, and the longest-running musical institution in America. Their story intersects with pivotal moments and issues in American history and is an ideal prism through which to trace music, culture, history, and race in America. Spirit of the Century invites readers to follow along the Blind Boys’ eight-decade journey together from a segregated trade school, through the rough and tumble indie record game and grinding tour schedule of the golden age of gospel, to starring in an iconic Broadway musical, performing at the White House for three presidents twice, collaborating with Tom Petty, Lou Reed, and Ben Harper, among others, singing the theme song for “The Wire,” and winning five Grammys.  More than just a story of the Blind Boys' illustrious career, Spirit of the Century  also sheds new light on the larger world of African American gospel music, its origins, and the colorful characters at its center. 

Though there have been several iterations of the group over the decades, Spirit of the Century  rounds up all surviving members of the group as contributors to the telling of their own story, and a result, the book offers a unique and intimate perspective on the group's enduring success. Current drummer and road manager Rickie McKinney has been with the group throughout its renaissance, while guitarist Joey Williams, the group’s sighted member, has been the eyes of the Blind Boys since 1992. Octogenarian Jimmy Lee Carter has a fascinating history, as a fellow student of the original but deceased Blind Boys Clarence Fountain, George Scott, Olice Thomas, Johnny Fields, J.T. Hutton, and Velma Traylor at the Talladega school. Carter is one of a few performers who have been in both the Blind Boys of Alabama and Mississippi. He fronts the Alabama group today as a classic quartet leader and fiery preacher. Along with extensive interviews of Fountain, these legendary musicians provide this book with the voice, firsthand perspective, and authenticity that bring their story the same inspirational power that you hear in their songs.

Thought-provoking, heartfelt, and deeply inspiring,  Spirit of the Century  is a fascinating and one-of-a-kind read that you won't be able to put down.

 

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Music, History

320 pages, Hardcover

Published March 19, 2024

Reviews

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Hachette Books for an advance copy of this look at the history of one of the most popular and long lasting gospel groups in music history, and their remarkable highs, lows while singing of the Lord.

There is a line from the song Walking in Memphis, written by Marc Cohn and covered by the incomparable Cher where the narrator has come to a club and hears a gospel play. The narrator is invited to sing with him and he well sings with all his might. When asked if he was Christian, the narrator answers, "Man I am tonight". This was always my relationship with gospel music. I was into jazz from my father, the blues cause I was depressed, and working in a record store with a lot of used cds and eclectic tastes loved playing anything I didn't know. Gospel has an assuredness to it, a positivity that everything no matter what will get better. That things might be low, but the good Lord, is got an eye on you, and things will be ok. When I first saw The Blind Boys of Alabama, I was surprised at their age, and even more surprised by the power of their voices. These were men who has sung thick and thin, to vast crowds, and empty rooms due to promoters stealing their advances, who sang with a power, a beauty, and a need. And now they tell their story, the gospel truth I should say. Spirit of the Century: Our Own Story by The Blind Boys of Alabama with Preston Lauterbach is a history of the men, the places the came from, the music they loved, and the people they touched, famous and unknown, friends, family, and book reviewers.

The book begins with Jimmy Lee Carter, seven years old, being left by his mother at the Alabama School for the Deaf and Blind in Talladega, Alabama. Carter's family wanted only the best for Jimmy and thought that the school would train him. The school offered braille classes, and training in how to make mops and brooms. However the school was also a dangerous place, where deaf and blind students would fight at night, the students were locked in with no way of escaping in fire, and though the students worked, the fields, the students were undernourished, the good food going to the white children. However their escape was music, first heard on the radio at the local store, a place they would travel to arm on each other shoulders, to hear the sounds, and get some treats. Soon their was a band, made up of older kids, who let Jimmy sing, but they formed the genesis of The Blind Boys of Alabama. And soon they were on the road, performing for church groups, engaging in contests against other gospel groups, especially The Blind Boys of Mississippi. And engaging in things that were quite surprising, playing with guns, hanging around the ladies, and having members come and go all the time. As time passed their reputation grew, along with a few controversies, though they are still up for Grammy nominations today.

A book that was far more revelatory than I expected. I was sure I would learn alot about gospel music, and the Chitlin circuit, and discrimination. However blind and deaf students battling at night. The Blind Boys themselves fighting each other. The amount of girlfriends. A Gospel promoter vowing to kill someone if they ever recorded again, or appeared in Texas. The music industry is a lot of fun. This is a fascinating book, with a log of great writing, and an incredible amount of research. There are a lot of people sharing stories, giving their view on episodes, and talking about what it was like being in the group or just around them. I never knew there was so much animosity between gospel groups. What does come across is the power of the music, and the fact that so many of these men sang well, well past retirement age, with a power and well glory. A wonderful look at an era in music that really needs to be explored more.

Recommended for music fans and for cultural historians trying to get a sense of an era. Almost every page has something interesting, not just about music, but about business, or travelling around the church circuit.

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite Go Tell it on the Mountain being one of my favorite Christmas albums and having Amazing Grace in my music library, I've realized from reading Spirit of the Century just how little I actually knew of the Blind Boys of Alabama. Spirit of the Century, a fascinating book, tells the story of the group from its beginnings in 1939 all the way to current times. I greatly enjoyed learning of the battle shows featuring them along with the Blind Boys of Mississippi, the collaborations they recorded over the years, and tales of life on the road, which included performing for three presidents, starring in a Broadway show, and meeting folks from Bob Dylan to Prince.

The book does a good job of presenting the unique personalities of the various members of the group over the years and I enjoyed reading in the Appendix some of the author's recommended recordings. I personally want to find the Take the High Road album. That this group is not yet in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a travesty!

I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. Thanks to Hachette Books for the copy. The above opinions are my own.

[Jacquey Barber · Rating 3 out of 5]

A memoir of the renowned gospel singing group, The Blind Boys of Alabama, this book claims to tell the story of the group and the individuals that comprised it. Given that the group survived over eight decades, and that multiple individuals came and went over time, I somehow doubt that it does a great job at this tall task. While I did find it interesting to learn about the history of the early years of the group, and their roots in segregated trade schools for the blind, there are so many different individuals described, it was hard to build an understanding of each. Moreover, I found it so frustrating that the audio book I listened to included none of the many songs that were mentioned. Not one. I understand that permissions might have been difficult to obtain, but given that it was supposedly authored by The Blind Boys, one would think that there could have been a few.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

For someone who first learned of the group within the last 15 years, this is a surprising and shocking history of the group members through the decades. Reading like a written soundtrack of the group, Spirit of the Century covers the highs and lows of a phenomenal career and personal backgrounds of the singers. The glimpse behind their success covers the gamut of readers' emotional responses as well. 4/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of the book without obligation. This review is my opinion.

[Rolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not only a great history of this particular group, but an excellent history of the Birmingham-rooted wave of gospel quartets that arose mid-20th century. I knew a lot of the artists these guys had recorded and performed with, but not all of them, and it was quite a ride.

[Simon Maltman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had hoped for a Blind Boys biography for years- it did not disappoint! Fascinating and surprisingly candid.