The Blind Boys of Alabama are one of gospel's most enduring acts. They began singing together in 1939 at Alabama's Talladega Institute for the Deaf and Blind, and started singing professionally as the Happy Land Jubilee Singers. Since 1948, they've recorded for dozens of record companies, and registered hits from the 1950s through the early 21st century. In 1988, they starred in the hit Broadway show The Gospel at Colonus. In 1995, as the first act signed to the House of Blues label, they released I Brought Him with Me. 2001's Spirit of the Century and 2002's Higher Ground won Grammys, as did 2005's There Will Be a Light with Ben Harper. In 2022, the Blind Boys released two collaborative tracks with Black Violin including "The Message," which was nominated for a Grammy for Best Americana Performance. In 2023, Echoes of the South appeared from Alabama's Single Lock label.