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Product details
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Track Listings
| 1. Take The High Road (featuring The Oak Ridge Boys) |
| 2. Jesus, Hold My Hand / Have Thine Own Way, Lord (featuring Jamey Johnson) |
| 3. I Was A Burden (featuring Lee Ann Womack) |
| 4. Can You Give Me A Drink? (featuring Vince Gill) |
| 5. Family Bible (featuring Willie Nelson) |
| 6. Jesus Built A Bridge To Heaven |
| 7. I Know A Place |
| 8. Why Don't You Live So God Can Use You |
| 9. Lead Me Home |
| 10. Stand By Me |
| 11. I Saw The Light (featuring Hank Williams, Jr.) |
| 12. The Last Mile Of The Way |
Product Description
CD Description
This record follows in the renowned Blind Boys tradition of reaching across musical boundaries to collaborate with other artists (from Peter Gabriel and Lou Reed to Anthony Hamilton, Ben Harper and Third Day) to create music that is appreciated as heart-warming, innovative, and inspirational by people from all walks of life. The result is a remarkable album, which mines the profound connections between traditional country and gospel music.
The amazing spirit and soul of the Blind Boys is celebrated through the songs, some time-tested like Hank Jr.’s energetic re-working of his father’s "I Saw the Light," and some more recent chestnuts like Danny Flower’s underground classic "I Was a Burden." Recorded live in just a few days at Ben Folds’ Javelina Studio, the album has the soulful feel of an old-school country classic. In fact, the word got out during the session that something special was going on at the old RCA soundstage, and guests like George Jones, Bill Anderson, and Bobby Bare dropped by just to observe the proceedings. All of them were visibly touched by what they experienced.
The amazing spirit and soul of the Blind Boys is celebrated through the songs, some time-tested like Hank Jr.’s energetic re-working of his father’s "I Saw the Light," and some more recent chestnuts like Danny Flower’s underground classic "I Was a Burden." Recorded live in just a few days at Ben Folds’ Javelina Studio, the album has the soulful feel of an old-school country classic. In fact, the word got out during the session that something special was going on at the old RCA soundstage, and guests like George Jones, Bill Anderson, and Bobby Bare dropped by just to observe the proceedings. All of them were visibly touched by what they experienced.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
The BLACK BOYS OF ALABAMA ALBUM TAKE THE HIGH ROAD ALBUM HAS SOME POWERFUL TRACKS.IT IS A CD YOU WILL LISTEN TO OVER AND OVER AGAIN
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
11 reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Awesomesauce
5 May 2011
A friend of mine was playing this in his car yesterday and I got hooked by "I Saw The Light". After playing the whole album, I immediately went out and bought it and have been listening non-stop for the past 9 hours. What an awesome record! Not sure who came up with the idea of mixing country in with Gospel, but it's a great mix here. I'm gonna have to buy more Blind Boys records. Pick this one up!!
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Great follow-up to "Duets" album - this time with Country "partners".
25 May 2011
Format:Audio CD
I've had this CD for a while now but just getting around to posting the review. I was fortunate enough to see the BBs LIVE last week in a showcase for non-commercial radio folks (the only stations that will probably play the CD). They got great response. (I've seen earlier versions of the BBs over the years - as members die, they are replaced - and the current lineup is as good as any I've seen.
This CD does for country crossover what the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Del McCoury are doing: Cross-pollinating the music and helping blend the line between genres. It's all good music. It's actually a sequel to 2009's Duets, which had the BBs singing with Lou Reed, Bonnie Raitt and Asleep At The Wheel - to name a few . For this album The BBs are joined by Vince Gill, Willie Nelson, Jamey Johnson, The Oak Ridge Boys (who really are "White" Blind Boys of Alabama when you listen with your ears). The songs include gospel standards like "I Saw The Light" but also Muddy Waters' "Why Don't You Love So God Can Use You".
Jimmy Carter is the only Founding Member left in the group (founded in 1939!)
The group won Grammys for four straight years and there is a reson why. Listening to this album will give you the answer.
Steve Ramm
"Anything Phonographic"
This CD does for country crossover what the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Del McCoury are doing: Cross-pollinating the music and helping blend the line between genres. It's all good music. It's actually a sequel to 2009's Duets, which had the BBs singing with Lou Reed, Bonnie Raitt and Asleep At The Wheel - to name a few . For this album The BBs are joined by Vince Gill, Willie Nelson, Jamey Johnson, The Oak Ridge Boys (who really are "White" Blind Boys of Alabama when you listen with your ears). The songs include gospel standards like "I Saw The Light" but also Muddy Waters' "Why Don't You Love So God Can Use You".
Jimmy Carter is the only Founding Member left in the group (founded in 1939!)
The group won Grammys for four straight years and there is a reson why. Listening to this album will give you the answer.
Steve Ramm
"Anything Phonographic"
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
An Instant Classic From A Classic Group
3 May 2011
Format:Audio CD
The Blind Boys have been making music since the 1930's, but they have unquestionably been at their artistic best during the past decade. No need to mention the five Grammy awards, the number of US presidents they've performed in the White House for, the admiration music fans and musicians alike have for the Blind Boys--just listen to what they've been releasing and that should be enough proof.
"Take The High Road" falls in line with this recent momentum. This time, they pair old-school gospel with Nashville country. Using traditional recording and arranging methods while still putting interesting twists on old (and new) songs, and working with legendary country heroes and fresh Nashville faces, this is a treasure of American music. It's inspiring to find a band in their 70's and 80's who aren't afraid of trying something new; and country music is a decidedly welcome and seemingly perfect change.
Opening up with the title track, backed by the Oak Ridge Boys, "Take The High Road" is a sonic blast of hope and joy. It really sets the pace for the entire record: optimism, salvation, faith.
Co-producer Jamey Johnson's sweet baritone voice supports the old-timey hymn "Have Thine Own Way Lord". The song evokes another world in another time. You feel like you've found yourself in some cozy 1970's church deep in the American South; Johnson summoning the voice of country greats while the Blind Boys pray along as the church choir.
The iconic Willie Nelson with his superstar mouth harp player in tow, Mickey Raphael lace "Family Bible" with some real musical magic, as to be expected. The Blind Boys echo "rock of ages, rock of ages cleft for me"--their reverent response serves as the song's chorus.
No matter what genre they're experimenting with, the Blind Boys are never afraid to get funky, and songs like "Jesus Built A Bridge To Heaven", "Why Don't You Live So God Can Use You", and "Jesus, Hold My Hand" are indelible evidence.
The sweet soul-soaked voice of Blind Boy Ben Moore carries through the solemn prayer "I Know A Place". Moore affirms his rock-solid faith as he gracefully utters "I know, I know, I know, I know for certain..."
The ballads aren't the only shining numbers here, Hank Williams, Jr. leads these septu- and octogenarians through a borderline punk rock version of his father's legendary "I Saw The Light".
"Take The High Road" is an impressive collection of county-gospel tracks that harken back to a time when bands put the music first. And because of this, I know for certain "High Road" will stand up with the best of them for decades to come.
"Take The High Road" falls in line with this recent momentum. This time, they pair old-school gospel with Nashville country. Using traditional recording and arranging methods while still putting interesting twists on old (and new) songs, and working with legendary country heroes and fresh Nashville faces, this is a treasure of American music. It's inspiring to find a band in their 70's and 80's who aren't afraid of trying something new; and country music is a decidedly welcome and seemingly perfect change.
Opening up with the title track, backed by the Oak Ridge Boys, "Take The High Road" is a sonic blast of hope and joy. It really sets the pace for the entire record: optimism, salvation, faith.
Co-producer Jamey Johnson's sweet baritone voice supports the old-timey hymn "Have Thine Own Way Lord". The song evokes another world in another time. You feel like you've found yourself in some cozy 1970's church deep in the American South; Johnson summoning the voice of country greats while the Blind Boys pray along as the church choir.
The iconic Willie Nelson with his superstar mouth harp player in tow, Mickey Raphael lace "Family Bible" with some real musical magic, as to be expected. The Blind Boys echo "rock of ages, rock of ages cleft for me"--their reverent response serves as the song's chorus.
No matter what genre they're experimenting with, the Blind Boys are never afraid to get funky, and songs like "Jesus Built A Bridge To Heaven", "Why Don't You Live So God Can Use You", and "Jesus, Hold My Hand" are indelible evidence.
The sweet soul-soaked voice of Blind Boy Ben Moore carries through the solemn prayer "I Know A Place". Moore affirms his rock-solid faith as he gracefully utters "I know, I know, I know, I know for certain..."
The ballads aren't the only shining numbers here, Hank Williams, Jr. leads these septu- and octogenarians through a borderline punk rock version of his father's legendary "I Saw The Light".
"Take The High Road" is an impressive collection of county-gospel tracks that harken back to a time when bands put the music first. And because of this, I know for certain "High Road" will stand up with the best of them for decades to come.
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