BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA

BIOGRAPHY

The Blind Boys of Alabama formed in 1939 at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind in Talladega, Alabama. Lead singer Jimmy Carter remains in the group from the founding lineup. The Blind Boys have won five Grammy Awards and received a Grammy  Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009. The Blind Boys were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2007. They have toured with Tom Petty, Peter Gabriel, Mavis Staples and Aaron Neville and recorded with Ben Harper, Lou Reed, Bonnie Raitt and Willie Nelson, among many others.

ARNO

BIOGRAPHY

Belgian singer, composer and actor Arno Hintjens has been a chart phenomenon and familiar voice – distinctive, gravelly and multilingual – for the past four decades. After scoring international hits with his 1980s band TC Matic, he has gone on to success as a solo artist, actor and soundtracks composer. In 2002 he received the prestigious Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres from the French government. Recently, he has been given an honorary citizenship of his native city, Ostend, Belgium. 

AXELLE RED

BIOGRAPHY

Axelle Red is a Belgian singer-songwriter and social activist who also happens to be an attorney, having received a law degree from Vrije University in Brussels in 1993, the same year she released her debut album “Sans Plus Attendre.” Red (born Fabienne Demal) has released nine albums since then and in 1999 received France’s prestigious Victoire de la Music honor. She received a Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, France’s highest artistic honor, in 2006. Red is also active with UNICEF and was a spokesperson for the Live 8 concert in France during 2008. 

ANTI-FLAG

BIOGRAPHY

Anti-Flag are an American punk rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The band is well known for political activism, focusing on anti-war activism, anti-imperialism, class struggle, human rights, and various sociopolitical sentiments. The line-up includes singer/guitarist Justin Sane and drummer Pat Thetic, who founded the band; later members are guitarist Chris Head, and singer/bassist Chris Barker (#2) who replaced Jamie “Cock” Towns, who had replaced original bassist Andy Flag in 1997 following his departure one year prior. Anti-Flag is known also for their advocacy of progressive political action groups such as Greenpeace and Amnesty International. Most recently, the band has declared solidarity with the global Occupy Together movement.