Legendary gospel group the Blind Boys of Alabama will issue a new studio album Almost Home on August 18 via BBOA Records. NPR Music’s First Listen series made the record available to stream in advance of its official release next week.
The sole surviving original members, 87-year-old Clarence Fountain and 85-year-old Jimmy Carter mixed covers by the likes of Bob Dylan and Billy Joe Shaver with newly penned compositions from a variety of songwriters. Among those who contributed songs were North Mississippi Allstars, Marc Cohn, Valerie June, Phil Cook, John Leventhal, Randall Bramblett, Ruthie Foster, Cris Jacobs and others. Fountain and Carter each received co-writing credits as well.
Sessions were held with a variety of producers including with Leventhal in New York City, with Chris Goldsmith in Seattle, with Vance Powell in Nashville Los Lobos’ Steve Berlin at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Stream Almost Home via the link to NPR Music below:
Almost Home Tracklist (with songwriter info)
- Stay on the Gospel Side (John Leventhal/Marc Cohn/Clarence Fountain)
- Let My Mother Live (John Leventhal/Marc Cohn/Jimmy Carter)
- God Knows Everything (John Leventhal/Marc Cohn)
- Pray For Peace (Luther Dickinson/Cody Dickinson/Oteil Burbridge/Joey Williams/Ray Ladson/Charles Driebe)
- Singing Brings Us Closer (Phil Cook)
- Almost Home (Randall Bramblett/Clarence Fountain/Jimmy Carter)
- Live Forever (Billy Joe Shaver)
- I Shall Be Released (Bob Dylan)
- Train Fare (Valerie June)
- I Can See (Joey Williams/Ray Ladson/Jimmy Sloan)
- I Kept on Walking (Cris Jacobs)
- I Was Called (Ruthie Foster/Scottie Miller)
- Upcoming Shows
