Blind Boys Of Alabama and Bobby Rush have collaborated on the sacred soul classic “99 And ½ Won’t Do”

Gospel legends Blind Boys of Alabama and Blues Hall of Famer Bobby Rush have joined forces on a recording for the first time.
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​The historic collaboration on the sacred soul classic “99 And ½ Won’t Do” features legendary artists with six-decade careers in American music, with proceeds benefiting the Mid-South Food Bank in Memphis, TN.

This year, both Bobby Rush and the Blind Boys of Alabama received GRAMMY Awards. The Blind Boys also appeared on the Today Show in April, performed with Tom Jones, and are set to receive an Americana Music Award Lifetime Achievement Award this fall. A rehearsal video of the Blind Boys recently went viral, amassing over eight million views across various platforms.

Joining the recording are Dom Flemons, hailed as "one of the most accomplished American Folk Artists" by MOJO, and the beloved folk-rock band Dustbowl Revival. The artists and producers involved have won a combined eleven GRAMMY Awards. The release marks the ten-year anniversary of DeLia’s 72 Music Management.

The song was co-produced by GRAMMY-winning producer Colin Linden (known for his work with Bob Dylan, Keb’ Mo’, T-Bone Burnett, and as music director for ABC’s Nashville) and manager Jeff DeLia. In this new version, the artists' unique voices blend seamlessly in a call-and-response arrangement, with Bobby Rush leading the call and the chorus of artists responding.
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“99 And 1/2 Won’t Do” is a traditional song previously recorded by artists such as Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Mavis Staples with Ry Cooder, Steve Cropper, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Hezekiah Walker, Wilson Pickett, and Eddie Floyd.
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