Blind Boys of Alabama to perform in Pittsfield

Print Story | Email Story
Blind Boys
Pittsfield - The beautiful and spacious sanctuary of Pittsfield’s First Methodist Church will be filled with the Grammy award-winning sounds of the legendary Blind Boys of Alabama on Friday, March 26th at 8 pm. Opening for the Blind Boys will be the new roots/gospel/blues group Ollabelle, featuring Amy Helm, daughter of Levon Helm, an original member of the Band. The concert is Helsinki Productions’ first Pittsfield presentation and is in cooperation with the Colonial Theatre. Performing both traditional and contemporary songs that shake the rafters and lift hearts wherever they go, the Blind Boys of Alabama just received their third consecutive Grammy Award for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album for their latest release, “Go Tell it on the Mountain,” which features an impressive lineup of guest musicians, including John Medeski, George Clinton, Chrissie Hynde, Shelby Lynne, Mavis Staples, and Tom Waits. Vanity Fair magazine called the record "a rousing new album with a staggering guest lineup." The other two Grammy awards were for their two previous albums, "Spirit of the Century," and "Higher Ground, " called "two of the most exciting CDs in blues, soul or gospel in recent years" by Billboard Magazine. The albums includes traditional gospel numbers as well as powerful new “gospelized” versions of songs by Prince, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Curtis Mayfield, Funkadelic, Jimmy Cliff and others. The Blind Boys of Alabama were founded over sixty years ago at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind. Recently inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, they have been embraced and celebrated by a whole new generation of performers. A concert film of their headline tour last year will be featured on PBS this fall, and they have toured with Peter Gabriel and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. "I was listening to the Blind Boys back in the Fifties," says Aaron Neville of the Neville Brothers. "My brothers and I used to walk down the street harmonizing, trying to sound like the Blind Boys. Their singing still sends chills down my spine - they've got that old soul!" The opening group Ollabelle was recently signed to Columbia Records by legendary producer T-Bone Burnett, who produced the bestselling “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” soundtrack album. A bright star of the recent roots music revival coming out of New York’s East Village music scene, Ollabelle’s self-titled debut album is due in stores in March. The concert’s proceeds will help benefit the First Methodist Church’s role as a home for many community groups in downtown Pittsfield, as well as the free weekly dinners it provides to community members in need. Other concerts in conjunction with Helsinki Productions are being planned as part of the church’s goal of serving as a performing arts center in downtown Pittsfield. Helsinki Productions is the concert-producing arm of Club Helsinki, a renowned local nightclub and restaurant in downtown Great Barrington, MA. The club and restaurant will be the subject of a full-color book entitled The Helsinki Café Cookbook, to be published by Storey Publishing this October. To purchase advance tickets to the concert, which are $32 general admission and $42 for premium seats, please call 413-528-3394. Pittsfield’s historic First Methodist Church is located at 55 Fenn Street between North and First Streets. For more information on the Blind Boys of Alabama, please visit their website at www.blindboys.com .
Share
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Senior Golf Series Returns in September

Community submission
PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- The Berkshire County Fall Senior Golf series returns in September with events on five consecutive Wednesdays starting Sept. 18.
 
It is the 22nd year of the series, which is a fund-raiser for junior golf in the county, and it is open to players aged 50 and up.
 
The series will feature two divisions for each event based on the combined ages of the playing partners.
 
Golfers play from the white tees (or equivalent) with participants 70 and over or who have a handicap of more than 9 able to play from the forward tees.
 
Gross and net prices will be available in each division.
 
The cost is $55 per event and includes a round of golf, food and prizes. Carts are available for an additional fee.
 
Golfers should call the pro shop at the course for that week's event no sooner than two weeks before the event to register.
 
View Full Story

More Stories

Sports
image description

Big Second Half Lifts Hoosac Girls to Another State Title

Sports
Sports
image description

The Hunt for Red March: Hoosac Valley Girls, Boys Go for State...

Sports
Sports
image description

Kotek, Dupuis Win Individual State Titles

Sports
Sports
image description

Lee Bowlers Win State Championship

Sports
Sports
image description

McGovern Scores 1,000th as Hurricanes Advance

Sports
Sports
image description

Pittsfield's Mullen Takes Two Titles at State Alpine Meet

Sports
Latest Stories
Previous Next

What's Trending?