Gospel singers stick to message

The Blind Boys of Alabama, a five-time Grammy Award winning gospel group, will perform at 7 tonight at the Grover C. Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre at Augusta State University, 2500 Walton Way.

"They can expect some good, old-fashioned gospel music," singer and founding member Jimmy Carter said during a telephone interview.

The Blind Boys formed in 1939 at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind. They're nowhere near slowing down, with overseas tour dates in October.

"We love to sing gospel music; we love to spread the gospel message," Mr. Carter said. "It's a hectic schedule and it really tires you out sometimes."

The group sings only gospel or songs with an uplifting spiritual message. Though they have been offered chances to cross over into other genres or sing love songs, that's not what the Blind Boys are about.

"When we started out, we promised God we would not deviate, we'd stick to gospel," Mr. Carter said.

They experimented with a different sound last year by recording Down in New Orleans in the album's namesake city, and it won the group a Grammy.

The group has collaborated with artists including Ben Harper and Tom Waits.

Mr. Carter promises to make the crowd feel something during the performance tonight.

"Everybody's got a little bit of God in them," he said. "What goes from the heart, reaches the heart."

Reach Sarah Day Owen at (706) 823-3223 or sarah.owen@augustachronicle.com.