Features
Go Tell It On The Mountain
When they released their first album of holiday material in September, the Blind Boys Of Alabama said they’d be taking the tunes to the stage. And they’re doing just that for nine shows in December.
Treating fans in major cities from West to East Coast, the Blind Boys will play songs from their Go Tell It On The Mountain CD starting December 9 in Colorado. Mavis Staples and John Medeski are on all dates, while Aaron Neville joins in a handful.
A big show will take place in New York City at the Beacon Theatre. There, the gang will be joined by many of the same guests on their album, including Chrissie Hynde,
Like the holiday shows, the album is chock-full o’ guest appearances, including spots by Tom Waits, Hynde, Neville, Solomon Burke, Mavis Staples, George Clinton, Shelby Lynne, Randolph and many others.
A portion of the royalties from the Go Tell It On The Mountain album will go toward awareness and research for diabetes. Three of the Blind Boys are affected by the disease. They’re also planning to donate $5,000 to the American Diabetes Association at the organization’s convention next summer.
The Go Tell It On The Mountain tour is just a little blip on the Blind Boys’ tour map. They have dates booked clear through December, 2004.