What's On in Evanston

The Blind Boys of Alabama are recognized worldwide as living legends of gospel music . Celebrated by The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and The Recording Academy/GRAMMYs with Lifetime Achievement Awards, inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, and winners of six GRAMMY Awards, they have attained the highest levels of achievement in a career that spans over 70 years. The Blind Boys are known for crossing multiple musical boundaries with their remarkable interpretations of everything from t raditional gospel favorites to contemporary spiritual material by songwriters such as Eric Clapton, Prince, and Tom Waits . They have appeared on recordings with many artists, including Lou Reed, Peter Gabriel, Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Aaron Neville, Su san Tedeschi, Ben Harper, Patty Griffin, and Taj MahalThe Blind Boys released their latest album, Echoes Of The South, in Aug ust of 2023 . It f ound the Gospel Music Hall of Fame inductees coming home to Alabama to record in Muscle Shoals . The eleven - son g collection is a portrait of perseverance from a group well - versed in overcoming incredible odds - from singing for pocket change in the Jim Crow South to performing for three different American presidents, soundtracking the Civil Rights movement, and hel ping define modern gospel music as we know it. The album garnered three GRAMMY Award nominations, and won for Best Roots Gospel Album.That win continued a run of GRAMMY Award nominations from the two previous years. In 202 1 , the groups collaborative recording with Bla Fleck, I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free, was tapped in the Best American Roots Performance category . In 202 2 , the y garnered another no d for their collaboration with the band Black Violin on The Message in th e Best Americana Performance category.

Shemekia Copeland is the greatest blues singer of her generation. The Washington PostShemekia Copeland has established herself as one of the leading blues artists of our time. Profound and truly powerful...inviting you to think and to party. NPR MusicShemekia Copeland gets her message across loud and clear. She transcends with a mix of styles including gospel, rock, blues, soul, and Americana, proudly representing her generation with style and grace in a voice too strong to be ignored. No DepressionShemekia Copeland possesses one of the most instantly recognizable and deeply soulful roots music voices of our time. The multi-GRAMMY nominee is beloved and honored worldwide for the fearlessness, honesty and humor of her revelatory songs, as well as for her winning, engaging personality. The Chicago Tribune says, Copeland is the greatest female blues vocalist working today. Theres no mistaking the majesty of her instrument, nor the ferocity of her delivery. On Copelands new album, Blame It On Eve, the songs all hit hard, with jaw-dropping performances that instantly take hold and command repeated listening. Theres serious business on the new album, Copeland says, but there are a lot of smiles here too, a lot of joyous moments. Its my blues for sure but its the brighter side. Issues are always important to me, but so is rocking, dancing and just having fun. And thats something we all can all agree on.