Johnny Fields, Founding Member of Blind Boys of Alabama, Dies

Rev. Joe Williams called TBGB this morning to report that Johnny Fields, one of the founding members of the Five Blind Boys of Alabama, passed away in Henderson, NC.

Here is some information from the Henderson Dispatch:

HENDERSON — Johnny Fields, a resident of 214 Swain St., died Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009 at Maria Parham Medical Center.

The family will be at the residence.

Gloryland Gospel passed along Mr. Fields’ funeral information:

Funeral Services
Thursday, November 19, 2009, at 1:00 PM
St. Andrews United Church of Christ
203 Mulberry Street
Henderson, NC 27536
(252) 492-7511

Cards, Letters, Flowers and Expression of Condolences may be sent to
E C Terry’s Funeral Service
255 East Andrews Avenue
Henderson, NC 27536
(252) 492-5453
[email protected]

Johnny Fields and Clarence Fountain formed the Five Blind Boys of Alabama, formerly known as the Happy Land Jubilee Singers, in the 1940s while students at the Talladega School for the Blind in Talladega, Alabama. The quartet turned professional in 1944 and made its first recordings in 1948. Mr. Fields was the quartet’s bass singer and in the 1970s did some freelance production work on gospel releases for Jewel Records in Shreveport, Louisiana.