Blind Boys of Alabama perform in the Radio Heartland studio

What a thrill. I mean … these guys have been singing together for more than seven decades! From their roots as young singers at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind to their many appearances at the White House, the Blind Boys of Alabama are still keeping the gospel flame alive. Almost Home is the group's 71st record in their history, and it contains songs penned for them by such writers as Phil Cook, Valerie June, John Leventhal, Marc Cohn and more. And the lyrics were based on autobiographical interviews with the Blind Boys' two surviving original members, Clarence Fountain and Jimmy Carter.

The Blind Boys of Alabama took a little time to bring their band into the Radio Heartland studios to talk about the new album and to perform some of this new material. The speaking voices you'll hear in the interview are leader Jimmy Carter, musical director Joey Williams and singer Ricky McKinnie.

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• Review and photos: Irma Thomas, Blind Boys of Alabama send their voices to Guthrie rafters It's not every day you get a program walking into a concert. But at last night's Guthrie Theater affair, a grand triple bill showcasing Irma Thomas, the Blind Boys of Alabama, and the Preservation Hall Legacy Quintet, no extra step felt out of bounds. A magnificent pink chiffon flower atop Ms. Thomas's shoulder?

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