Charles Driebe Jr. (born July 13, 1956) is an American personal manager of musical artists[1] known for managing the Blind Boys of Alabama since 2000.[2] He is also an entertainment attorney, producer of recordings, live performances, and concert tours, and a songwriter.[3][4]

Driebe is the founder and CEO of Blind Ambition Management.[5]

About edit

In 1990, Driebe decided to combine his legal training with his passion for music. He began shifting into entertainment law, eventually serving on the Executive Board of the State Bar’s Sports and Entertainment Law Section. Driebe was also a board member of the Georgia Lawyers of the Arts and was the Chairman of the Board of its predecessor, the Southern Entertainment & Art Law Center.

Driebe established Blind Ambition Management in 1998.[6] Blind Ambition Management has managed a number of noted musical artists.

In 2000, Driebe began managing the Blind Boys of Alabama. The group's first-ever Grammy Award came for its 2001 album "Spirit of the Century," which brought together more traditional gospel tunes with fresh takes on songs by contemporary artists such as Tom Waits — and the group's rendition of Waits' "Way Down in the Hole" was featured as the theme song for the first season of the TV show "The Wire."

The Blind Boys then won Grammys for their next three albums, including in 2005 for There Will Be a Light, a collaborative album with Ben Harper. That year, the group also performed on the Grammy telecast with Kanye West and John Legend.

In 2019, Driebe served as Executive Producer of a collaborative album featuring the Blind Boys with Marc Cohn titled Work To Do.[7]

In 2020, Driebe co-wrote and co-produced two songs that were recorded as collaborations by the Blind Boys and Amadou & Mariam.[8]

In 2021, the Blind Boys received a Grammy nomination for the song "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free," a collaboration with genre-spanning banjo player Béla Fleck, which Driebe and Fleck co-produced.[9]

In 2022, Driebe co-wrote and co-produced (with Peter Levin) a song called ‘The Message,’ a collaboration between the Blind Boys and Black Violin,[10] which was nominated for a Grammy for Best Americana Performance. The song was also played during the Blind Boys' appearance on The Today Show on January 16, 2023.

From 2009 to 2019, Blind Ambition Management and Driebe managed Ruthie Foster.[11] During that time, Foster released four studio albums.

In 2011, Blind Ambition Management and Driebe began managing Stax Records' soul legend William Bell.[12]

Driebe and Blind Ambition Management have managed other artists as well, including Marc Cohn of ‘Walking in Memphis’ fame, folk duo Over the Rhine, blues harmonica legend Charlie Musselwhite,[13] singer/songwriter Steve Forbert, troubadour Steve Poltz, indie band The Low Anthem,[14][15] and southern raconteur Paul Thorn.[38]

Driebe has also conceived and executed two multi-artist-themed music tours.

In 2019, Driebe co-produced the recording of Big Band of Brothers; A Jazz Celebration of the Allman Brothers Band.[16]

Discography edit

Production[17][18] Year
Amazing Grace (Live)

The Blind Boys Of Alabama - Down In New Orleans ‎(CD, Album)

2008
The Blind Boys Of Alabama - Live In New Orleans 2005
Blind Boys w Amadou & Mariam -  Single ‘Netola’ 2002
Blind Boys Of Alabama - Almost Home ‎(CD, Album) 2017
Marc Cohn And Blind Boys Of Alabama - Work To Do ‎(CD) 2019
Big Band Of Brothers - A Jazz Celebration Of The Allman Brothers Band 2019
Blind Boys Of Alabama - Echoes of the South 2023
Management
The Blind Boys Of Alabama - Spirit Of The Century ‎(CD, Album) 2001
The Blind Boys Of Alabama - Higher Ground 2002
The Blind Boys Of Alabama - Go Tell It On The Mountain 2003
Ben Harper And The Blind Boys Of Alabama - Live At The Apollo 2005
Charlie Musselwhite - Delta Hardware ‎(CD, Album) 2006
The Blind Boys Of Alabama - Down In New Orleans ‎(CD, Album) 2008
Paul Thorn - What The Hell Is Goin On? ‎(CD, Album) 2012
Blind Boys Of Alabama - I'll Find A Way 2013
The Blind Boys Of Alabama & Taj Mahal - Talkin' Christmas 2014
Paul Thorn - Too Blessed to be Stressed (Album) 2014
Ruthie Foster - Promise of a Brand New Day (Album) 2014
William Bell - This Is Where I Live 2016
Ruthie Foster - Joy Comes Back (Album) 2017
Paul Thorn - Mission Temple Fireworks Revival (DVD) 2018

References edit

  1. ^ Talkin' Blues podcast episode 213 - Charles Driebe, 2020-05-28, retrieved 2023-12-04
  2. ^ Auten, Christine (2023-03-13). "Charles Driebe". NOLA MusiCon. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  3. ^ "Charles Driebe". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  4. ^ "'Voices of Mississippi': Celebrating Generations of Soul-Stirring Music". THE BITTER SOUTHERNER. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  5. ^ Press, Associated (2018-06-04). "Blind Boys of Alabama co-founder Clarence Fountain dies at 88". Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  6. ^ "Blind Ambition Management - Phone, Email, Employees, CEO, VP, 2023". VisualVisitor. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  7. ^ Marc Cohn And Blind Boys Of Alabama - Work To Do, 2019, retrieved 2023-12-04
  8. ^ Bamako to Birmingham, retrieved 2023-12-04
  9. ^ "The Blind Boys of Alabama move spirits at The Guild Theatre". Redwood City Pulse. 2023-02-03. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  10. ^ Blind Boys of Alabama Ft. Black Violin - The Message, retrieved 2023-12-04
  11. ^ "Blind Ambition Management Management". artistandfan.com. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  12. ^ "William Bell - Contact". williambellmusic.com. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  13. ^ 305admin (2005-08-10). "Musselwhite talks Southern roots, blues history in Clarksdale". Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival. Retrieved 2023-12-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ adminmegan (2012-10-15). "Charles Driebe's sobering Moment changed his life – and those of many addicts – for the better". SaportaReport. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  15. ^ Charles Driebe, founder of Blind Ambition Management, Ltd., retrieved 2023-12-04
  16. ^ "The Producers". BIG BAND OF BROTHERS. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  17. ^ "Charles Driebe". Discogs. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  18. ^ "Charles Driebe Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic. Retrieved 2023-12-04.