Contact: Phyllis Caddell, 626-737-7477, pcpub@earthlink.net; Jim Weiss, Gospel Music Channel, 770-692-4579, jim@gospelmusicchannel.com

ATLANTA, Feb. 19 /Christian Newswire/ -- Gospel Music Channel (http://www.gospelmusicchannel.com) television network will give viewers an exclusive sneak preview of the new concert DVD release from the legendary group The Blind Boys of Alabama when it world premieres Live in New Orleans on Monday, Feb 23 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time (encore at 11:30 p.m.) The concert DVD of Live in New Orleans hits stores the next day, Feb. 24 via Saguaro Road Records (www.saguaroroad.com).  

Live In New Orleans was filmed at the city's historic club Tipitina's during the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Inspired by the Blind Boys' GRAMMY Award winning, critically-acclaimed album Down in New Orleans, the DVD continues their heartfelt tribute to the Crescent City and includes guest appearances by old friend Susan Tedeschi as well as New Orleans-born acts the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Dr. John, Henry Butler and Marva Wright. Live in New Orleans combines new songs and old favorites, with selections from the Down in New Orleans disc performed alongside songs from the Blind Boys' other GRAMMY-winning CDs as well as several classic gospel tunes.

The Blind Boys were honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by The Recording Academy as part of the 51st Annual Grammy Awards. The prestigious honor came just weeks after the band was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Traditional Gospel Album category for their 2008 release Down In New Orleans. The Recording Academy's Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes honorees for their tremendous artistic accomplishments and impact on music. Already winners of four Grammy Awards, this tribute welcomed the group into a venerated club that includes the likes of Bob Dylan, Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra and Miles Davis.

The Blind Boys of Alabama thrill and inspire audiences the world over. Formed in 1939, The Blind Boys still continue to create critically acclaimed recordings and reach new career heights even today. In recent years the group has won FOUR consecutive Grammy Awards, were featured on "60 Minutes," "Regis & Kelly," "The Tonight Show" and the "Late Show with David Letterman", performed on the 2005 Grammy Awards telecast, and appeared in the 2003 movie "The Fighting Temptations" alongside Beyonce and Cuba Gooding Jr. They sang a Phil Collins tune in Disney's "Brother Bear" animated film, and were also the inspiration for the Steven Bochco TV series "Blind Justice." The Blind Boys have also been inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame and awarded the NEA's Heritage Fellowship for Lifetime Achievement, as well as many other prestigious honors, earning them the true distinction of "living gospel legends." Blind Boys of Alabama are Jimmy Carter, Eric 'Ricky' McKinnie, Joey Williams, Tracy Pierce, Billy Bowers and Ben Moore.

Gospel Music Channel is the fastest-growing network in television and can be seen in more than 40 million homes on various cable systems around the country and on DIRECTV on channel 338.