Grammy Winners Perform as Part of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association's Deck the Hall Series

MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2007, AT 8 PM

The Blind Boys of Alabama, four-time Grammy-winning gospel legends and Gospel Music Hall of Fame inductees, triumphantly return to Walt Disney Concert Hall for Go Tell It On The Mountain, a special Deck The Hall series holiday performance on Monday, December 17, at 8 p.m. Last year, The Blind Boys of Alabama enthralled a sold-out crowd at the Walt Disney Concert Hall with their inspirational renditions of Christmas music both familiar ("Jingle Bells" and "Silent Night") and lesser known ("When Jesus Was Born" and "I Pray on Christmas"), as well as gospel classics such as "Amazing Grace." The Los Angeles Times heralded last year's performance as "a heavenly Christmas gift."

Go Tell It On The Mountain, the holiday concert, was inspired by the group's 2003 Grammy-winning album of the same name. The soulful Christmas album features guest appearances by Mavis Staples, Tom Waits, Chrissie Hynde, Solomon Burke, George Clinton, Aaron Neville and others. Upon its release, Go Tell It On the Mountain became an immediate Christmas classic which led to a PBS Christmas special and a concert DVD featuring many of the guests on the album. In the true spirit of the Christmas season, the album, broadcasts and DVD sales afforded The Blind Boys of Alabama an opportunity to give something to others in need. A portion of the proceeds is donated to the American Diabetes Association, for whom they became spokesmen in 2003.

The Deck the Hall series at Walt Disney Concert Hall gives patrons of all ages the opportunity to celebrate the holidays through the spirit and community of music. The remainder of the concert series includes A Chanticleer Christmas, The Count Basie Orchestra: A Swingin' Christmas, two Holiday Sing-Alongs and two special New Year's Eve performances - Paris à Go-Go featuring Belinda Carlisle and Rufus Wainwright.

Formed some six and a half decades ago at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind in 1939, THE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA predate Elvis, Little Richard and Al Green. Yet, even in their 70s, they still are at the top of the gospel charts and have earned impressive honors by winning consecutive Grammy Awards for the past four years and an induction into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. The new millennium has seen The Blind Boys reach a mainstream audience and break the Billboard Top 100 for the first time in their career. They have proven themselves masters of bringing out the most spiritual aspects of mainstream music, while at the same time bringing the music of the church straight to the roadhouse. In the past five years, the group has recorded moving renditions of songs by everyone from Tom Waits to Prince, Bob Dylan to Fatboy Slim, side-by-side with their traditional material. They have appeared as guests on records and on stage with an equally diverse array of artists - from Peter Gabriel to Ben Harper. During this amazing run, the cover tunes and collaborations have been consistently tasty and organic, seasoned with a time-tested understanding of the sounds that move humankind's soul. As The Blind Boys of Alabama have reached new levels of respect, acclaim, and commercial success in recent years, one thing has remained: the group's mission to do God's work in new and inspiring ways. In so doing, they are not only expanding the very definitions of gospel and soul, but also bolstering a legacy that is unmatched by any other traditional artist that has remained true to the gospel path.

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:

MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2007, AT 8 PM
WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL
111 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles

GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN: BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA CHRISTMAS SHOW

Tickets ($27 - $79) are on sale now online at LAPhil.com, at the Walt Disney Concert Hall Box Office, or via credit card phone order at 323.850.2000. A limited number of $10 rush tickets for seniors and full-time students may be available at the Walt Disney Concert Hall Box Office two hours prior to the performance. Valid identification is required; one ticket per person; cash only. Groups of 10 or more may be eligible for special discounts for selected concerts and seating areas. For all information, please call 323.850.2000.

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