Blind Boys still spreading the gospel.

Byline: Serena Markstrom The Register-Guard

As one of the original members of the Blind Boys of Alabama, Clarence Fountain, says he knows what Eugene audiences like.

"Eugene is a place that likes good gospel music," Fountain said in a recent phone interview from his home in Louisiana. "Especially from the Blind Boys. I know exactly what songs to sing.

`It's not complicated. I never pick the songs until I hit the stage and (we do) what I think is the best thing."

The legendary group will have a thick catalog of numbers to choose from when it hits the stage Sunday as part of the Now Hear This series at the John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts.

The group of mostly septuagenarians - four of the seven current members are blind - last stopped in Eugene for a show at the WOW Hall in 2001. That was the year they signed with Peter Gabriel's Real World Records and started an impressive comeback, winning four consecutive Grammys for best traditional soul gospel album.

"We have a message in store for you," Fountain said. "We try to make you feel something that you have never felt before, and that's the spirit of God."

Group got its start in the '30s

According to the group's biography, the Blind Boys seek to continue to expand the audience for traditional music, while at the same time incorporating contemporary songs and innovative arrangements into their hallowed style,

The group formed at the Talladega Institute for the Deaf and Blind in Alabama in the late 1930s. It has been performing in various incarnations ever since.

The 10 tracks on the band's latest release, "Atom Bomb," cover many traditional gospel songs, such as "Moses," "Old Blind Barnabas" and "I Know I've Been Converted." In his review of the CD, Rolling Stone critic David Wild says the 2005 release is the Boys' most adventurous recording yet.

Appearances from artists such as Blackalicious, rapper the Gift of Gab and David Hidalgo of Los Lobos help update songs. The Gift of Gab lends vocals to "Demons," while Hidalgo plays guitar on six tracks.

Fountain and current Blind Boys Jimmy Carter, Joey Williams, Ricky McKinnie, Bobby Butler and Tracy Pierce, plus new addition Bishop Billie Bowers, will take the stage with their band Sunday. Longtime member George Scott died last year.

Fountain said collaborating with younger artists is important to the Boys' style.

"It's always a privilege to be able to do things with other musicians," Fountain said. "It's very important when you can sing with others.

`It makes a difference. It lets people know you are versatile - you can sing with anybody and talk with anybody."

Critics, including the Rolling Stone's Wild, say working with Peter Gabriel and Ben Harper has expanded the Boys' sound and helped earn them crossover appeal. But when it comes to live shows, the Boys are on their own.

"People don't care how old you are when you hit the stage," Fountain said, adding they've got to put on a good show, regardless of their status as legends. "We're getting better, not worse. ... We enjoy praising the Lord.

"I think we still have a couple more years ahead of us," he says. "You better come now because you might not be able to hear 'em later. ...

`Who knows what might happen?"

Reach Serena Markstrom at 338-2371 or smarkstrom@ guardnet.com.

CONCERT PREVIEW

The Blind Boys of Alabama

When: 7:30 p.m. Sunday

Where: Jaqua Concert Hall, the Shedd, 285 E. Broadway

Tickets: Reserved seats $42, $36 and $32, 434-7000 or [phone]

CAPTION(S):

The roots of the Blind Boys of Alabama go back almost seven decades, but the chorale works to maintain an innovative edge by collaborating with many contemporary artists.