#353 - The Blind Boys of Alabama
Ricky McKinnie of The Blind Boys of Alabama has a conversation with Tom about his extraordinary life. He describes how he took up the drums and singing, found success with the Gospel Keynotes and his own group, the Ricky McKinnie Singers, before joining The Blind Boys, who had first formed way back in 1939. He reveals how his faith enabled him to persevere through the loss of his sight in his 20s. He also discusses five key figures who have inspired him musically: Buddy Miles, Sam Cooke, Julius Cheeks, Bill Withers and Clarence Fountain. This episode is brought to you by Lumie, the original inventors of wake-up lights, whose Bodyclock Luxe 750DAB wake-up light mimics a natural sunrise and sunset. Shown to improve quality of sleep and to boost productivity in clinical trials, this remarkable device also features high quality audio with DAB+ radio, Bluetooth speakers, USB port and a selection of over 20 sleep/wake sounds. The Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 750DAB can transform the way you start and end your day, especially if you struggle to wake up in the morning and/or get to sleep at night. Go to lumie.com to find out more. Tinggly are on a mission to change the culture of gifting, by encouraging everyone to give experiences rather than material things. Their team has handpicked the world’s best travel, adventure, culture, dining and more, bringing it all together in one place. Give stories, not stuff: go to tinggly.com to find out more.Modal Electronics make beautiful, innovative and powerful synthesisers. You can enjoy vibrant wavetable patches with their ARGON8 series. You can produce state-of-the-art analogue-style synth textures with their COBALT8 series. Go to modalelectronics.com to check out their incredible array of synthesisers.