The Five Blind Boys of Mississippi rank among popular music’s most extraordinary vocal ensembles. Their tightly woven harmonies, paired with Archie Brownlee’s commanding leads, left a lasting imprint on countless gospel groups and on secular performers such as Ray Charles. The ensemble’s story reaches back to the 1930s, when Brownlee—listed in some sources as Brownley—joined Joseph Ford, Lawrence Abrams, and Lloyd Woodard to form a quartet while all four were enrolled at the Piney Woods School near Jackson, Mississippi. Initially known as the Cotton Blossom Singers, the young performers delivered both sacred and secular songs. They appeared on the school campus in 1936 and were captured the following year by Alan Lomax for the Library of Congress. After completing their studies, the singers turned professional and maintained separate identities for a period, appearing as the Cotton Blossom Singers on popular material and as the Jackson Harmoneers when performing gospel. The addition of Melvin Henderson expanded the lineup to a quintet. In the mid-1940s, Percell Perkins took Henderson’s place, at which point the group adopted the name the Five Blind Boys; Perkins, who also served as manager, was the sole sighted member. Their first recordings appeared on Excelsior in 1946 following an introduction to label owner Leon Rene in Cleveland. A 1948 session for Coleman followed, the same year J.T. Clinkscales replaced Joseph Ford. The pivotal move to Don Robey’s Peacock label in 1950 elevated the Five Blind Boys to stardom. Their single “Our Father” reached the Top Ten on the R&B charts, and the ensemble remained extraordinarily productive, cutting twenty-seven singles and five albums for Peacock across the ensuing decade. Brownlee passed away in New Orleans in 1960; his piercing, electrifying cries and shouts remain among the most striking sounds in gospel. Perkins departed shortly after entering the ministry. Subsequent members included Revs. Sammy Lewis and George Warren along with Tiny Powell. Roscoe Robinson assumed the lead role vacated by Brownlee and was supported by second lead Willmer Broadnax, himself an exceptional vocalist. The group remained active through the 1970s, 1980s, and into the 1990s, though Lloyd Woodard died in the mid-1970s and Lawrence Abrams followed in 1982.
