South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center Presents The Blind Boys of Alabama
Image courtesy of the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center.
Paying tribute to Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life
A 50th anniversary celebration of the classic Stevie Wonder album & more!
Thursday, November 5, 7:30 PM
(South Milwaukee, WI) – South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center (SMPAC) is proud to present six-time GRAMMY® winners, Gospel Music Hall of Fame inductees, and living gospel legends, The Blind Boys of Alabama on November 5 at 7:30 pm. The show is part of our 2026-2027 Performing Arts Series.
The Blind Boys of Alabama are more than a musical group—they are a masterclass in American soul. Having helped define the soundtrack of the Civil Rights era, they rose from singing for pocket change in the Jim Crow South to performing for three U.S. Presidents. On this tour, these singing legends pay tribute to Stevie Wonder’s 1976 masterpiece, Songs in the Key of Life, along with their own repertoire, blending gospel, soul, and classic Americana.
In 2003, The Blind Boys of Alabama earned a Grammy® for an album that included their acclaimed cover of Stevie Wonder’s Higher Ground, a version later featured in film and television, including FX’s Fargo. In 2007, Stevie Wonder presented Blind Boys singer Jimmy Carter a Lifetime Achievement Award. With over 75 years of lifting spirits, they continue spreading light and love through the universal language of music. It will be an evening of power, praise, and proof that some voices aren’t just heard—they’re felt.
“They are always hunting for – and finding – the perfect note or harmony that lifts an old tune into the sublime.” – TIME Magazine
“Whether you’re a church-going regular or not, these songs will put you right in an imaginary old wooden pew and have you clapping right along.” – Off-Beat Magazine
Run time: 90 minutes not including intermission. (Intermission will be determined on the day of show.)
This May Be the Last Time – A documentary about the making of the album
BOOK RELEASE – March 2024
Their latest book, Spirit of a Century is an insider history of the Blind Boys of Alabama, the longest-running group in American music, and the untold story of their world, written with band members and key musical colleagues.
TICKETS
Click here to purchase tickets. Tickets $71-81 with discounts for seniors and students. To purchase tickets, visit southmilwaukeepac.org 24/7 or call (414) 766-5049 Mon-Fri from 10 am to 2 pm. The box office is closed on Fridays in the summer and when school is closed during the school year. Sign up for email notifications at southmilwaukeepac.org.
ABOUT SMPAC
South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center (SMPAC) is a public school affiliated, professionally-managed facility that has been providing the greater Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin communities with creative, innovative, and diverse performing arts for more than 20 years.
Past performances on our stage include:
- The World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra
- SistaStrings
- Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
- The Texas Tenors
- A.J. Croce
- The Violent Femmes
- Jesse Cook
- Flamenco Vivo Carlotta Santana
- Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles
- Soweto Gospel Choir
- Tessa Lark
- Edgar Meyer
- Josh Roman
- The Mark O’Connor Band
- Celtic Nights
- Tommy Emmanuel
- The Vienna Boys Choir
- The World of Musicals
- Cirque Alfonse
- The Official Blues Brothers Revue
- John McGivern
- Lindsey Buckingham
- George Watsky
- Turtle Island Quartet
- Step Afrika!
- Cantus
- Donny McCaslin
- Robert Glasper
- The Zombies
- Jean Luc Ponty
- Jon Anderson
- Arlo Guthrie
- The Red Green Show
- The Boston Brass
- Slim Goodbody
- George Winston
- Mutts Gone Nuts
- Legends Roundtable to Honor Da Crusher
- Ex Fabula
- and many, many more.
The SMPAC Performing Arts Series and other programming is sponsored in part by the Ken Cook Co., Bucyrus Club & Event Center, Skyline Catering, Cousins Subs (South Milwaukee), Courtyard by Marriott (Milwaukee Airport), Steren McDonald’s Restaurants, Max A Sass & Sons Funeral & Cremation Service, Schlossmann Subaru City, Cudahy Dental, Remy Battery, South Milwaukee Downtown Market, South Milwaukee Fire Department, South Milwaukee LIONS Club and Parkway Floral. Performances are supported in part by a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts.
South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center is located inside of the South Milwaukee School District’s 6-12 grade campus, located at 901 15th Avenue in the city of South Milwaukee. We are conveniently located between College and Rawson Avenues, which are easily accessible from I-94 and 794. Complimentary parking is available in the northwest parking lot and on 15th Avenue. For all SMPAC events, patrons should enter door #9 on the northwest side of the building. For tickets and more information, visit southmilwaukeepac.org or call (414) 766-5049.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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