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Heavenly Sight

The Blind Boys of Alabama
Burnt Pixel via Flickr/Creative Commons
The Blind Boys of Alabama

Since the time of Aristotle, blind seers have been regarded as bearers of special insight. Host David Marash brings us the stories, music and this insight from the blind gospel tradition that transformed American song and gave it soul. We hear the music and stories of black gospel singers including: Arizona Dranes, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Blind Willie Johnson, Ray Charles - Flora Molton, who survived by singing on the streets of Washington DC - and Reverend Gary Davis whose "holy blues" influenced Ry Cooder and Bob Dylan.  You will also hear feature interviews and music from Henry Butler, Lee Breuer, David Bromberg, Valerie Capers, Sam Cooke, and Jimmy Carter, Blind Mamie Forehand, the Fairfield Four, the Golden Gate Quartet, Bernice Johnson-Reagon, Kip Lornell, Flora Molton, Bessie Smith and Larscene Turk. 

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