Hi Jimmy! The Blind Boys of Alabama played their first show back in 1944 ... did you ever think you'd still be doing this 70 years on (1)?
Well no! I really wasn't thinking anything when we started out. We were anxious to get out there and sing gospel music because that's what we love to do, so we wasn't thinking 'bout nothing but that. We weren't looking for no accolades or nothing like that. And we've been singing it since we were together at school, because that's what we were born to do.

What can you remember from those very first shows?
The very first show was a radio show, so we wasn't making an appearance – it was just a broadcast on a local radio show in Alabama. But what comes to mind from the early shows we did [in public] was how the audience would respond. Back then we would sing primarily to black people and we got a great reception. That encouraged us to just move on. Now, we sing to everybody. When we started out, segregation was going on and we could only sing to one kind of people. Now most of our audience is white so it's like we've been promoted. (Laughs.)

What difficulties did you experience under segregation?
Well, you know, we had a little programme touring around the South, so we'd sing and then we'd get hungry – but we could never find a place to eat because we couldn't go into the white restaurants. We were never harassed by anybody, though, because we knew what was expected of us at that time. But we were determined to let nothing stop us from what our goal was, which was to sing gospel music. So we had obstacles but we were determined to do what we set out to do.

When did you notice things changing for the better?
During the Martin Luther King years, he took a great step. He sacrificed a lot – he made the supreme sacrifice in the end. But from his death, we have seen changes. We have a long way to go yet but we have come a long way too. I am hopeful that, maybe not in my lifetime but as the years go by, things will become even better than they are now.

Does music have the power to change the world?
I think music is a universal thing. Music can reach anybody if you've got anything at all in you.

Did you ever get the chance to meet Martin Luther King?
Never did have the chance to meet him, no. But we performed shows for the civil rights movement and that was a privilege to be involved in a thing like that, it really was a rewarding feeling. But I never had a chance to shake the man's hand.

When soul music took over the charts in the 1960s were you ever worried that gospel music was falling out of fashion?
Gospel has never died, and it never will die. Soul came in, contemporary came in … but gospel is still here. What makes it so special? First you got to understand what gospel is. When people ask me what gospel is I tell them: "Gospel is the good news of God". So as long as there's a God, there will always be gospel.

Is there enough religion in today's pop music?
Well that's a sticky subject. I listen to all kinds of music: gospel, pop, blues, country, and they all have their place. Of course there are some kinds of music I don't particularly care for, such as rap music. And a lot of contemporary music I don't care for. Some musicians have gotten so wrapped up in the contemporary stuff that you can't tell gospel from rock'n'roll. We don't go there. We're a traditional blind gospel singing group, and that's how we'll stay.

To what extent do you think being blind has influenced your music?
I don't think blind has got nothing to do with it. If you're musically inclined, then it comes naturally to you whether or not you're blind or sighted. It just comes naturally. We've had some great blind musicians: Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Ronnie Milsap (2). As for difficulties, I think there are no difficulties that you can't overcome.

Reading on mobile? Watch a video on the making of I'll Find A Way

You've worked with so many musicians - from Prince and Stevie Wonder to tUnE-yArDs and Ben Harper. Who stands out?
Ben Harper was a great musician, a great songwriter and a great gentleman. That was an experience I'll always remember. It was such a great thing to be in the studio with him. Bon Iver (3) was another great experience. We went to his house in Wisconsin in the coldest part of the winter. It was very cold but he had a warm house and a warm heart.

How did working with Bon Iver come about?
Our manager came to us one day and said: "How would you like to do a record with Justin Vernon?" And so I said" "Who is Justin Vernon!" (Laughs). But after we were introduced we had a great relationship. He brought some interesting stuff to play me. When they brought I'll Find A Way to me I thought, "where is the gospel in that?" But sometimes you have to really look and dig deep down to find it. And there's a line in that song that says "life took me for a ride". So if life took you for a ride, you have to sometimes go to a higher power to find your way. That's the way I interpreted that.

Can you find gospel in any song?
If you look hard enough you usually can.

What do you remember from playing with Prince?
Well that was a surprise. We didn't even know he was there! We must have got so good that he just had to break-out, come on the stage, grab a guitar and start playing. That was a great surprise!

Your version of Tom Waits's Way Down In The Hole was used as the theme music for the first season of the Wire - what do you know of that show?
I didn't know anything about it! I didn't even know they were using the Blind Boys music until someone called my attention to it. I said: "What wire?" (laughs).

Reading on mobile? Hear the Blind Boys sing Way Down In The Hole

Over the 70 years, what is the one achievement that stands out for you?
When I went to the White House, that always stands out. The first time, for the Clintons. And then the Bushes invited us back. And then the Obamas. It was amazing to think that America would accept a black president. It was just something to see, because I never thought in my lifetime I would see a black president. But I'm thankful for it, and I think now you might see some more as the generation progresses.

How many presidents have you met?
I met four because I met Jimmy Carter also! (Laughs.) We had a little joke about that! He was a great guy, he was all right - they were all nice.

What do you think of modern day music?
When the Blind Boys started out, they didn't have anything but an acoustic guitar. It wasn't even electric! Now, you have bands, and as the years went by we began to add different things. Drums. Bass guitar. An electric lead guitar. All of that went in to play as the years went by. Now you even have horns and all that stuff!

You're still performing into your 80s …. what's the secret for keeping a band going for so long?
I think what keeps the Blind Boys going is loving what we do. And we've become a family because most of us have been together for so long.

And finally ... if there's one gospel song all Guardian readers should listen to what is it?
Amazing Grace. It's always been my favourite.

Footnotes

1) The Blind Boys of Alabama perform at Under the Bridge, London on Saturday 24 May, 2014.

2) Country music's first successful blind singer who rose to fame during the 1970s.

3) Bon Iver produced and sang on the band's most recent album, I'll Find A Way.