The Blind Boys of Alabama entertained a full crowd in the Dvorak Concert Hall of Doudna Fine Arts Center Sunday.

Jimmy Carter, the lead singer and the one of founding members of the Blind Boys of Alabama, said his favorite part of performing is the audience’s response.

“I like to hear the response from the audience, to touch lives and make people think,” Carter said. “When I get on stage, I like the part of the performance when I get to go into the crowd, having them touch me and say ‘I love you, I love you’ they seem so sincere.”

Carter and his group recently released a new

album titled “Take the High Road,” their first Gospel/Country album.

“(The album) has been different, we’re testing the water,” Carter said. “I’ve learned you never stop learning with music, it’s a never-ending process, it’s fascinating, we’re always improving.”

Carter said the experience was better because the band got the opportunity to work with the Watkins siblings, who are from the Grammy Award-winning progressive country band Nickel Creek.

“I’ve enjoyed working with (the Watkinses),” Carter said. “We fit perfectly together and gel, every day it gets better.”

The members of The Blind Boys of Alabama are: Jimmy Carter, a founding member on vocals; Ben Moore on vocals; Eric “Rickey” Mckinnie on vocals; Joey Williams on lead guitar; Tracy Pierce on bass; Peter Levin on organ; and Austin Moore on drums.

The Blind Boys of Alabama was founded in 1939 at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind.

Sara and Sean Watkins opened the show with a 30-minute performance. They both sang while Sara played violin and Sean played guitar.

“We spent our time growing up as a part of the group Nickel Creek and touring this area,” Sara Watkins said. “It was really nice to be back driving through a Midwest college town in the fall.”

The siblings have performed in a variety of different collaboration and recently started a podcast called the Watkins family hour podcast, which can be found on iTunes.

“I thought the opening act was great, I’m a huge fan of their type of music,” said Amy Leisten, a senior recreation administration major. “My older sister is a big fan of Sara and Sean. She’s the worldly one who brings me to these types of things, but I wish more students would attend, it’s a lot of fun.”

Rachael Jannusch, a senior family and consumer sciences major, said she was looking forward to the concert.

“I have a choir background and had heard good things about the group, it was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon,” Jannusch said.

It was not just the students, faculty and staff who attended the concert, many local community members attended as well.

Jim Standerfer is a Charleston resident who attended the concert with his two children, Olivia and Jonas.

“We’re a big music family, my kids are musician, but there are not a lot of place I can take them to see live music, most places are 18 or 21 and over, it’s nice to come here [Doudna],” said Jim Standerfer.

Oliva Standerfer, a fifth grader said she liked the concert.

“I loved it,” Olivia Standerfer said. “My dad is a big Blind Boys fan.”

Jim Standerfer said he was happy to see that the Blind Boys of Alabama where coming to town.

“I saw them on the schedule and we live three blocks away, it was an easy decision,” Jim Standerfer said.

Amy Wywialowski can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].