Charles Driebe
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Charles James Driebe Jr. (born July 13, 1956) is an American personal manager of musical artists known for managing the
Blind Boys of Alabama Blind often refers to: * The state of blindness, being unable to see * A window blind, a covering for a window Blind may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Blind'' (1987 film), a documentary by Frederick Wiseman about th ...
since 2000. He is also a Grammy-winning record producer, an entertainment attorney, a producer of live performances and concert tours, and a Grammy-nominated songwriter. He is the founder and CEO of Blind Ambition Management Ltd.


Early life and education

Driebe was born in Fort Gaines, Georgia. His family moved to Atlanta when he was five years old. His father was a prominent attorney and one-time member of the Atlanta Board of Aldermen (later renamed the Atlanta City Council). Driebe's father had a client,
Herb Lance Herbert J. Lance (June 12, 1925 – November 7, 2006) was an American jazz, blues and gospel singer, songwriter, record producer, recording studio owner and radio DJ. As well as recording several hits himself in the late 1940s, he co-wrote Ru ...
, who was a DJ known as ‘Cousin Herb’ on a Black-owned radio station
WERD (Atlanta) WERD was the first radio station owned and programmed by African Americans. The station was established in Atlanta, Georgia on October 3, 1949, broadcasting on 860 AM (now used by WAEC). The National Black Radio Hall of Fame Atlanta Chapter is ...
, and also owned a record shop on Auburn Avenue. Driebe frequented the shop, and Lance gave him DJ promo copies of blues and soul albums, kindling Driebe's love for the music. Driebe completed his BA at
Tulane University The Tulane University of Louisiana (commonly referred to as Tulane University) is a private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by a cohort of medical doctors, it b ...
where he was a DJ, Jazz Program Director, and eventually Station Program Director at
WTUL WTUL is a progressive/alternative FM radio outlet in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, operating at 91.5 MHz with an ERP of 1,500 watts. The transmitter is located on the campus of Tulane University. The station, which is owne ...
, the college's radio station. He completed his JD at the University of Georgia, where he was also a DJ at the radio station
WUOG WUOG (90.5 FM broadcasting, FM) is a student-run college radio station licensed in Athens, Georgia. The station serves the Athens area and is currently owned by the University of Georgia. History The station first Broadcasting, broadcast on Oc ...
. In law school, he helped a new group named
R.E.M. R.E.M. was an American alternative rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe, who were students at the University of Georgia. One of the fir ...
land their first show in Atlanta and then a series of shows at a bar in the Buckhead neighborhood called Hedgens.


Career

Driebe joined his father in his general practice law firm in Clayton County, Georgia, in the 1980s and served as the president of the Clayton County Bar Association and as a member of the board of governors of the
State Bar of Georgia The State Bar of Georgia is the governing body of the legal profession in the State of Georgia, operating under the supervision of the Supreme Court of Georgia. Membership is a condition of admission to practice law in Georgia. The State Bar w ...
during that decade. 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. As an attorney, Driebe has represented diverse clients such as singer/songwriter
Randall Bramblett Randall Bramblett (born 1948) is an American musician and singer-songwriter, whose career as a solo artist, session player, and touring musician, has spanned five decades. He has worked with Gregg Allman, Bonnie Raitt, Goose Creek Symphony, Ro ...
(Sea Level, Steve Winwood), producer John Keane (R.E.M., Widespread Panic), musical artist/actor
Chris Thomas King Chris Thomas King (born Durwood Christopher Thomas, October 14, 1962) is an American blues musician and actor based in New Orleans, Louisiana. History King was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States. He is the son of blues musician Tab ...
(who appeared in the movies ''O Brother Where Art Thou?'' and ''Ray''), record label Monkey Hill Records and the Georgia Music and Sports Halls of Fame. Driebe formerly taught a course on Art and Law at the Atlanta College of Art and has spoken at numerous seminars, including
SXSW South by Southwest (SXSW) is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and Convention (meeting), conferences organized jointly that take place in mid-March in Austin, Texas. It began in 1987 and has conti ...
,
WOMEX WOMEX (short for Worldwide Music Expo) is an international world music support and development project based in Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany ...
, and the North American Law Summit, and on radio, television, and podcasts about entertainment law and management. To be more involved in all aspects of an artist's career, he started managing artists in 1996. His first management client was the blind New Orleans jazz/blues/funk pianist
Henry Butler Henry Butler (September 21, 1948 – July 2, 2018) was an American jazz and blues pianist. He learned piano, drums, and saxophone in school. He received a college degree and graduate degree and taught at the New Orleans Center for Creative ...
. Driebe negotiated deals for Butler with Black Top Records and
Alligator Records Alligator Records is an American, Chicago-based independent blues record label founded by Bruce Iglauer in 1971. Iglauer was also one of the founders of the '' Living Blues'' magazine in Chicago in 1970. History Iglauer started the label using ...
, and Butler released albums on those labels during Driebe's tenure as manager, including a collaborative album with Corey Harris on Alligator. Driebe established Blind Ambition Management in 1998. The company provides a full range of services to its music clients, from career management to legal assistance. Blind Ambition Management has managed a number of noted musical artists, including multiple of Grammy-nominated and Grammy-winning artists. In 2000, Driebe began managing the
Blind Boys of Alabama Blind often refers to: * The state of blindness, being unable to see * A window blind, a covering for a window Blind may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Blind'' (1987 film), a documentary by Frederick Wiseman about th ...
. 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 "Way Down in the Hole" is a song written by the singer-songwriter Tom Waits. It was included on his 1987 album ''Franks Wild Years'', which was first presented as a stage production put on by the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, Illinois. T ...
" was featured as the theme song for the first season of the TV show "The Wire." The
Blind Boys of Alabama Blind often refers to: * The state of blindness, being unable to see * A window blind, a covering for a window Blind may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Blind'' (1987 film), a documentary by Frederick Wiseman about th ...
then won Grammys for their next three albums, including in 2005 for There Will Be a Light, a collaborative album with
Ben Harper Benjamin Charles Harper (born October 28, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Harper plays an eclectic mix of blues, folk, soul, reggae, and rock music, and he is known for his guitar-playing skills, vocals, liv ...
. That year, the group also performed on the Grammy telecast with
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...
and
John Legend John Roger Stephens (born December 28, 1978), known professionally as John Legend, is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He began his musical career working behind the scenes for other artists, playing piano on Lauryn Hill's " Every ...
in what has been called one of the best Grammy performances of all time. Their fifth Grammy came for the 2009 album ‘Down in New Orleans,’ with Driebe serving as Executive Producer of the album and co-producer of the follow-up DVD/CD entitled ‘Live In New Orleans’, (which also aired on PBS stations nationwide). The band also won multiple
GMA Dove Awards A Dove Award is an accolade by the Gospel Music Association (GMA) of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the Christian music industry. The awards ceremonies presented annually and have been held in Nashville, Tennessee excep ...
for Traditional Gospel Album of the Year during this period of time. During Driebe's tenure, the
Blind Boys of Alabama Blind often refers to: * The state of blindness, being unable to see * A window blind, a covering for a window Blind may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Blind'' (1987 film), a documentary by Frederick Wiseman about th ...
received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009. They were inducted into the
Gospel Music Hall of Fame The Gospel Music Hall of Fame, created in 1972 by the Gospel Music Association, is a hall of fame dedicated exclusively to recognizing meaningful contributions by individuals and groups in all forms of gospel music. Inductees This is an incompl ...
in 2003 and the
Alabama Music Hall of Fame The Alabama Music Hall of Fame, first conceived by the Muscle Shoals Music Association in the early 1980s, was created by the Alabama Music Hall of Fame Board, which then oversaw construction of a facility after a statewide referendum in 1987 ...
in 2010. Since 2000, the Blind Boys of Alabama have made appearances in the films
The Fighting Temptations ''The Fighting Temptations'' is a 2003 American musical comedy film directed by Jonathan Lynn, written by Elizabeth Hunter and Saladin K. Patterson, and distributed by Paramount Pictures and MTV Films. Cuba Gooding Jr. plays a man who returns to ...
and
Hop (film) ''Hop'' is a 2011 American live-action animated Easter fantasy comedy film produced by Illumination Entertainment, and distributed by Universal Pictures. The film was directed by Tim Hill and produced by Chris Meledandri and Michele Impera ...
, and have been featured on such television series as
60 Minutes II ''60 Minutes II'' (also known as ''60 Minutes Wednesday'' and ''60 Minutes'') is an American weekly primetime news magazine television program that was intended to replicate the "signature style, journalistic quality and integrity" of the origin ...
and
The Colbert Report ''The Colbert Report'' ( ) is an American late night television, late-night Late-night talk show, talk and news satire television program hosted by Stephen Colbert that aired four days a week on Comedy Central from October 17, 2005, to December ...
, as well as on multiple episodes of
The Today Show ''Today'' (also called ''The Today Show'') is an American morning television show that airs weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on NBC. The program debuted on January 14, 1952. It was the first of its genre on American television ...
,
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' is an American television talk show broadcast by NBC. The show is the fourth and sixth installment of ''The Tonight Show''. Hosted by Jay Leno, it aired from May 25, 1992, to May 29, 2009, replacing ''The Ton ...
and
Late Night with David Letterman ''Late Night with David Letterman'' is an American television talk show broadcast by NBC. The show is the first installment of the '' Late Night''. Hosted by David Letterman, it aired from February1, 1982 to June 25, 1993, and was replaced by ...
. They were invited to perform at the
White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...
in both 2002, during the presidency of
George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...
, for a celebration of gospel music, and in 2010 during the presidency of
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
, for a celebration of music from the civil rights movement. The
Blind Boys of Alabama Blind often refers to: * The state of blindness, being unable to see * A window blind, a covering for a window Blind may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Blind'' (1987 film), a documentary by Frederick Wiseman about th ...
have collaborated with numerous artists under Driebe's management tenure, including
Peter Gabriel Peter Brian Gabriel (born 13 February 1950) is an English singer, songwriter, musician, and human rights activist. He came to prominence as the original frontman of the rock band Genesis. He left the band in 1975 and launched a solo career wit ...
,
Susan Tedeschi Susan Tedeschi (; born November 9, 1970) is an American singer and guitarist. A multiple Grammy Award nominee, she is a member of the Tedeschi Trucks Band, a conglomeration of her band, her husband Derek Trucks' band, and other musicians. Ea ...
,
Lou Reed Lewis Allan Reed (March 2, 1942October 27, 2013) was an American musician and songwriter. He was the guitarist, singer, and principal songwriter for the rock band the Velvet Underground and had a solo career that spanned five decades. Althoug ...
,
Mavis Staples Mavis Staples (born July 10, 1939) is an American rhythm and blues and gospel music, gospel singer and civil rights activism, activist. She rose to fame as a member of her family's band The Staple Singers, of which she is the last surviving memb ...
,
Bon Iver Bon Iver ( ) is an American indie folk band founded in 2006 by singer-songwriter Justin Vernon in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Vernon had originally formed Bon Iver as a solo project, but it eventually became a band consisting of Vernon (vocals, guit ...
,
Chrissie Hynde Christine Ellen Hynde (born September 7, 1951) is an American-British musician. She is a founding member of the rock band the Pretenders and is the band's lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter; she and drummer Martin Chambers are the ...
,
Aaron Neville Aaron Joseph Neville (born January 24, 1941) is an American singer renowned for his distinctively smooth, vibrato-heavy tenor and a genre-crossing career that spans R&B, soul, gospel, jazz, country, and pop. He gained national prominence with hi ...
,
Taj Mahal The Taj Mahal ( ; ; ) is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. It was commissioned in 1631 by the fifth Mughal Empire, Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan () to house the tomb of his belo ...
, and
Allen Toussaint Allen Richard Toussaint (; January 14, 1938 – November 10, 2015) was an American musician, songwriter, arranger, and record producer. He was an influential figure in New Orleans rhythm and blues from the 1950s to the end of the century, descr ...
. In 2016, Driebe traveled to the homes of the two surviving original members of the group, Clarence Fountain and Jimmy Carter, and recorded their reflections on their lives. Then Driebe sent the recordings to various songwriters who used the interviews (and sometimes the exact words from them) for inspiration in writing new songs. Songs on the album were written for the
Blind Boys of Alabama Blind often refers to: * The state of blindness, being unable to see * A window blind, a covering for a window Blind may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Blind'' (1987 film), a documentary by Frederick Wiseman about th ...
by writers including
Marc Cohn Marc Craig Cohn (; born July 5, 1959) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. He won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1992. Cohn is best known for the song " Walking in Memphis", from his 1991 album '' Marc Cohn'', which was a To ...
, Phil Cook,
John Leventhal John Leventhal (born December 18, 1952) is an American musician, producer, songwriter, and recording engineer who has produced albums for William Bell, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Michelle Branch, Rosanne Cash, Marc Cohn, Shawn Colvin, Sarah ...
, and
Valerie June Valerie June Hockett (born January 10, 1982),Hubbell, John (2009),, ''The Commercial Appeal'', May 28, 2009.(aged 27 in May 2009). is an American singer, songwriter, Grammy-nominated, multi-instrumentalist, and author.Barnett, Laura (2012),One to ...
. Driebe was a co-producer on several tracks on the album, as well as a bonus track of a previously unreleased
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...
song, "See By Faith." He also co-wrote an updated version of ‘Pray For Peace,’ originally recorded by the
North Mississippi Allstars North Mississippi Allstars is an American blues and southern rock band from Hernando, Mississippi, founded in 1996. The band is currently composed of brothers Luther Dickinson (guitar, lowebow, vocals) and Cody Dickinson (drums, keyboards, elec ...
, for the album. 'Pray for Peace' was the debut single from the album. In 2017, Driebe appeared on NPR's Weekend Edition to discuss the album along with original band member, Jimmy Carter. In 2019, Driebe served as Executive Producer of a collaborative album featuring the
Blind Boys of Alabama Blind often refers to: * The state of blindness, being unable to see * A window blind, a covering for a window Blind may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Blind'' (1987 film), a documentary by Frederick Wiseman about th ...
with
Marc Cohn Marc Craig Cohn (; born July 5, 1959) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. He won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1992. Cohn is best known for the song " Walking in Memphis", from his 1991 album '' Marc Cohn'', which was a To ...
titled Work To Do. In 2020, Driebe co-wrote and co-produced two songs that were recorded as collaborations by the
Blind Boys of Alabama Blind often refers to: * The state of blindness, being unable to see * A window blind, a covering for a window Blind may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Blind'' (1987 film), a documentary by Frederick Wiseman about th ...
and
Amadou & Mariam Amadou & Mariam were a blind musical duo from Mali, composed of Bamako-born Amadou Bagayoko (guitar and vocals) (24 October 1954 – 4 April 2025) and Mariam Doumbia (vocals) (born 15 April 1958). As well as being a musical duo, they were a ma ...
. In 2022, he also co-wrote and co-produced another collaborative track with the two groups entitled 'Netola.' In 2021, the
Blind Boys of Alabama Blind often refers to: * The state of blindness, being unable to see * A window blind, a covering for a window Blind may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Blind'' (1987 film), a documentary by Frederick Wiseman about th ...
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
Bela Fleck Bela may refer to: Places Asia *Bela Pratapgarh, a town in Pratapgarh District, Uttar Pradesh, India *Bela, a small village near Bhandara, Maharashtra, India *Bela, another name for the biblical city Zoara * Bela, Dang, in Nepal * Bela, Janakpur ...
, which Driebe and Fleck co-produced. In 2022, Driebe co-wrote and co-produced (with Peter Levin) a song called ‘The Message,’ a collaboration between the
Blind Boys of Alabama Blind often refers to: * The state of blindness, being unable to see * A window blind, a covering for a window Blind may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Blind'' (1987 film), a documentary by Frederick Wiseman about th ...
and
Black Violin Black Violin is an American hip hop duo from Fort Lauderdale, Florida comprising two classically trained string instrumentalists, Kevin Sylvester and Wilner Baptiste, who go by the stage names Kev Marcus and Wil B. Kev Marcus plays the violin ...
, which was nominated for a Grammy for Best Americana Performance. The song was also played during the
Blind Boys of Alabama Blind often refers to: * The state of blindness, being unable to see * A window blind, a covering for a window Blind may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Blind'' (1987 film), a documentary by Frederick Wiseman about th ...
’s appearance on The Today Show on January 16, 2023. Driebe was a co-producer of the album 'Echoes of the South' by the Blind Boys of Alabama, which was released on September 8, 2023. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Roots Gospel Album. Also, two songs from the album were nominated for Grammy Awards for a total of three nominations. On February 4, 2024, the album won a Grammy Award for Best Roots Gospel Album. From 2009 to 2019, Blind Ambition Management and Driebe managed
Ruthie Foster Ruthie Cecelia Foster (born February 10, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter of blues and Folk music, folk music. She mixes a wide palette of American song forms, from gospel and blues to jazz, folk and soul. She has often been compared to Bo ...
. During that time, Foster released four studio albums, the first three of which were nominated for Grammy Awards (her first nominations). She also won numerous Blues Music Awards, Austin Music Awards, and Living Blues Awards and was inducted into the Texas Music Hall of Fame. In 2011, Blind Ambition Management and Driebe began managing
Stax Records Stax Records is an American record company, originally based in Memphis, Tennessee. Founded in 1957 as Satellite Records, the label changed its name to Stax Records in September 1961. It also shared its operations with sister label Volt Records. ...
' soul legend William Bell. In 2013, Bell appeared at the White House as part of the "
In Performance at the White House ''In Performance at the White House'' is a PBS television series of performances from the White House, the residence of the president of the United States. The series began in 1978. The first series was broadcast in 1978 during the presidency of ...
" series on a show entitled ‘Memphis Soul.’ In 2016, Bell recorded ''This Is Where I Live'' for the revived
Stax Records Stax Records is an American record company, originally based in Memphis, Tennessee. Founded in 1957 as Satellite Records, the label changed its name to Stax Records in September 1961. It also shared its operations with sister label Volt Records. ...
, his first major label album in over 30 years. In 2017, Bell was awarded a Grammy for Best Americana Album for the album, his first such award. He performed his hit "Born Under a Bad Sign" alongside Gary Clark Jr. on the 2017 Grammy Awards telecast. Bell was also featured on Rolling Stone's "Best of the Grammys" for that year. The win and the performance had such a strong effect on his streaming data that Rolling Stone called him the night's biggest winner. When Bell's name was called as the winner of the Grammy, he was so stunned that Driebe had to prompt him to head to the stage to collect it. Later in 2017, Bell performed alongside other legendary
Stax Records Stax Records is an American record company, originally based in Memphis, Tennessee. Founded in 1957 as Satellite Records, the label changed its name to Stax Records in September 1961. It also shared its operations with sister label Volt Records. ...
acts such as Booker T Jones and
Sam Moore Samuel David Moore (October 12, 1935 – January 10, 2025) was an American singer who was best known as a member of the soul and R&B duo Sam & Dave from 1961 to 1981. He was a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Grammy Hall of Fame (f ...
, as well as Welshman
Tom Jones Tom Jones may refer to: Arts and entertainment *Tom Jones (singer) (born 1940), Welsh singer *Tom Jones (writer) (1928–2023), American librettist and lyricist *''The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling'', a novel by Henry Fielding published in 1 ...
at BBC's 50 Years of Soul event at
Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London, England. It has a seating capacity of 5,272. Since the hall's opening by Queen Victoria in 1871, the world's leading artists from many performance genres ...
in London, UK. Bell was also featured in the documentary film
Take Me to the River "Take Me to the River" is a 1974 song written by singer Al Green and guitarist Mabon "Teenie" Hodges. Hit versions were recorded by Syl Johnson, Talking Heads and Delbert McClinton. In 2004, Green's original version was ranked number 117 on ''R ...
, which explored the heart of the enduring Memphis music scene. He was featured alongside other artists, including
Bobby Bland Robert Calvin Bland (born Robert Calvin Brooks; January 27, 1930 â€“ June 23, 2013), known professionally as Bobby "Blue" Bland, was an American blues singer. Bland developed a sound that mixed gospel with the blues and R&B. He was describ ...
,
Mavis Staples Mavis Staples (born July 10, 1939) is an American rhythm and blues and gospel music, gospel singer and civil rights activism, activist. She rose to fame as a member of her family's band The Staple Singers, of which she is the last surviving memb ...
, and
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(with whom he collaborated on a remake of Bell's song ‘I Forgot To Be Your Lover’). Bell spent time in 2017 and 2018 touring with a group of featured artists from Take Me to the River. The touring group was named one of the "10 Bands to See This Year" by ''
Parade A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats, or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually some variety ...
''. Driebe and Blind Ambition Management have managed other artists as well, including
Marc Cohn Marc Craig Cohn (; born July 5, 1959) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. He won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1992. Cohn is best known for the song " Walking in Memphis", from his 1991 album '' Marc Cohn'', which was a To ...
of ‘Walking in Memphis’ fame, folk duo
Over the Rhine (band) Over the Rhine is an American, Ohio-based folk music band that was formed in 1989 by Linford Detweiler, Karin Bergquist, Ric Hordinski, and Brian Kelley. Over the years, they have toured and recorded in many variations. Over the Rhine is now pr ...
, blues harmonica legend
Charlie Musselwhite Charles Douglas Musselwhite (born January 31, 1944) is an American blues harmonica player and bandleader who came to prominence, along with Mike Bloomfield, Paul Butterfield, and Elvin Bishop, as a pivotal figure in helping to revive the Chicago ...
, singer/songwriter
Steve Forbert Samuel Stephen Forbert (born December 13, 1954) is an American pop/folk singer-songwriter. His 1979 song "Romeo's Tune" reached No. 11 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and No. 13 on the ''Billboard'' Adult Contemporary (chart ...
, troubadour
Steve Poltz Steve Poltz (born February 19, 1960) is a Canadian Americans, Canadian-American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is a founding member of the indie-rock band the Rugburns and collaborated on several songs with singer Jewel (singer), Jewel, in ...
, indie band
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, and southern raconteur
Paul Thorn Paul Thorn is an American Southern rock, country, Americana, and blues singer-songwriter, whose style is a mix of blues, country, and rock. Biography Thorn was raised in Tupelo, Mississippi. Before his professional music career began, he was ...
. In 2019, Driebe co-produced the recording of Big Band of Brothers; A Jazz Celebration of The Allman Brothers Band. The album spawned tours in 2021 and 2022, with Driebe serving as producer of the shows, which featured
Jaimoe John Lee Johnson (born July 8, 1944), frequently known by the stage names Jai Johanny Johanson and Jaimoe, is an American drummer and percussionist. He is best known as one of the founding members of the Allman Brothers Band and, with the death ...
(one of the original members of
The Allman Brothers Band The Allman Brothers Band was an American rock music, rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969. Its founding members were brothers Duane Allman (slide guitar, lead guitar) and Gregg Allman (vocals, keyboards), as well as Dickey Betts ( ...
) and other special guests. Driebe conceived and co-produced a multimedia show based on the Grammy-winning box set Voices of Mississippi: Artists and Musicians Documented by William Ferris. It featured archival film and photos from William R. Ferris and debuted at the University of Mississippi in 2021. The show then sold out at
Lincoln Center Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5  ...
in 2022 before continuing on tour in 2022 and 2023. Driebe completed a residency at the Hambidge Center and became a Hambidge Fellow in 2021. Charles was quoted numerous times in the book 'Spirit of the Century: Our Own Story' by Preston Lauterbach and the Blind Boys of Alabama, which was released in March, 2024 by
Hachette Book Group Hachette Book Group, Inc. (HBG) is a publishing company owned by Hachette Livre, the largest publishing company in France, and the third largest trade and educational publisher in the world. Hachette Livre is a wholly owned subsidiary of Lagardà ...
. Charles was the executive producer of a Christmas single featuring the Blind Boys of Alabama and Jay Buchanan (of
Rival Sons Rival Sons is a Rock music, rock band formed in Long Beach, California in 2009 and also affiliated with Nashville, Tennessee. The band consists of Jay Buchanan (lead vocals), Scott Holiday (guitar), Dave Beste (bass guitar) and Michael Miley (d ...
) released in November 2024. Charles was the co-producer of Kyle Roussel's album release show at the New Orleans staple venue
Tipitina's Tipitina's is a music venue located at the corner of Napoleon Avenue and Tchoupitoulas Street in Uptown New Orleans, Uptown New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. History Local music enthusiasts opened the venue on January 14, 1977.Irma Thomas Irma Thomas ( Lee; born February 18, 1941) is an American singer from New Orleans. She is known as the "Soul Queen of New Orleans". Thomas is a contemporary of Aretha Franklin and Etta James, but never experienced their level of commercial succ ...
,
Ivan Neville Ivan Neville (born August 19, 1959) is an American multi-instrumentalist musician, singer, and songwriter. He is the son of Aaron Neville and nephew to the other members of The Neville Brothers. Career Neville has released four solo albums and ...
, the
Preservation Hall Jazz Band The Preservation Hall Jazz Band is a New Orleans jazz band founded in New Orleans by tuba player Allan Jaffe in the early 1960s. The band derives its name from Preservation Hall in the French Quarter. In 2005, the Hall's doors were closed for a ...
, John Boutte, and others.


Awards

Driebe was named Manager of the Year in 2007 by the Blues Foundation.


Discography


Production

* ''
Down In New Orleans ''Down in New Orleans'' is a gospel album by The Blind Boys of Alabama, released in 2008. It won the award for Best Traditional Gospel Album at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards. At the 40th GMA Dove Awards, the album was named the Traditional Gosp ...
'', The Blind Boys of Alabama (2008) (Album) * ''Live In New Orleans'', The Blind Boys of Alabama (2009) * ''Almost Home'', The Blind Boys of Alabama (2017) * ''Work To Do'', The Blind Boys of Alabama (with
Marc Cohn Marc Craig Cohn (; born July 5, 1959) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. He won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1992. Cohn is best known for the song " Walking in Memphis", from his 1991 album '' Marc Cohn'', which was a To ...
) (2019) * '' A Jazz Celebration of The Allman Brothers Band'', Big Band of Brothers (2019) * ''From Bamako to Birmingham'', The Blind Boys of Alabama (with
Amadou & Mariam Amadou & Mariam were a blind musical duo from Mali, composed of Bamako-born Amadou Bagayoko (guitar and vocals) (24 October 1954 – 4 April 2025) and Mariam Doumbia (vocals) (born 15 April 1958). As well as being a musical duo, they were a ma ...
) (2020) * ''I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free'', The Blind Boys of Alabama (Single with
Bela Fleck Bela may refer to: Places Asia *Bela Pratapgarh, a town in Pratapgarh District, Uttar Pradesh, India *Bela, a small village near Bhandara, Maharashtra, India *Bela, another name for the biblical city Zoara * Bela, Dang, in Nepal * Bela, Janakpur ...
) (2021) * ''Netola'', The Blind Boys of Alabama (Single with
Amadou & Mariam Amadou & Mariam were a blind musical duo from Mali, composed of Bamako-born Amadou Bagayoko (guitar and vocals) (24 October 1954 – 4 April 2025) and Mariam Doumbia (vocals) (born 15 April 1958). As well as being a musical duo, they were a ma ...
) (2022) * ''The Message'', The Blind Boys of Alabama (Single with
Black Violin Black Violin is an American hip hop duo from Fort Lauderdale, Florida comprising two classically trained string instrumentalists, Kevin Sylvester and Wilner Baptiste, who go by the stage names Kev Marcus and Wil B. Kev Marcus plays the violin ...
) (2022) * ''Echoes of the South'', The Blind Boys of Alabama (2023)


Management

* ''Blues After Sunset'',
Henry Butler Henry Butler (September 21, 1948 – July 2, 2018) was an American jazz and blues pianist. He learned piano, drums, and saxophone in school. He received a college degree and graduate degree and taught at the New Orleans Center for Creative ...
(1998) * ''Funk If I Know'', Michael Ray and the Cosmic Krewe (1998) * ''Vu-Du Menz'',
Henry Butler Henry Butler (September 21, 1948 – July 2, 2018) was an American jazz and blues pianist. He learned piano, drums, and saxophone in school. He received a college degree and graduate degree and taught at the New Orleans Center for Creative ...
and
Corey Harris Corey Harris (born February 21, 1969, in Denver, Colorado, United States) is an American blues and reggae musician, currently residing in Charlottesville, Virginia. Along with Keb' Mo' and Alvin Youngblood Hart, he raised the flag of acousti ...
(2000) * ''Spirit Of The Century'', The Blind Boys of Alabama (2001) * ''Higher Ground'', The Blind Boys of Alabama (2002) * ''Go Tell It On The Mountain'', The Blind Boys of Alabama (2003) * ''There Will Be A Light'', The Blind Boys of Alabama with
Ben Harper Benjamin Charles Harper (born October 28, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Harper plays an eclectic mix of blues, folk, soul, reggae, and rock music, and he is known for his guitar-playing skills, vocals, liv ...
(2004) * ''Sanctuary'',
Charlie Musselwhite Charles Douglas Musselwhite (born January 31, 1944) is an American blues harmonica player and bandleader who came to prominence, along with Mike Bloomfield, Paul Butterfield, and Elvin Bishop, as a pivotal figure in helping to revive the Chicago ...
(2004) * ''Miracle Mule'',
The Subdudes The Subdudes (styled lowercase as The subdudes) are an American roots rock group from New Orleans. Their music blends folk, swamp pop, New Orleans rhythm and blues, Louisiana blues, country, cajun/zydeco, funk, soul and gospel with harmonic vo ...
(2004) * ''Atom Bomb'', The Blind Boys of Alabama (2005) * ''In The Cool'',
Pieta Brown Pieta Brown (born 1973) is a critically acclaimed American singer-songwriter, artist, producer, and multi-instrumentalist who has released eight albums and five EPs. Although she's considered a folk/indie singer-songwriter, Brown also names count ...
(2005) * '' Live at the Apollo'', The Blind Boys of Alabama and
Ben Harper Benjamin Charles Harper (born October 28, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Harper plays an eclectic mix of blues, folk, soul, reggae, and rock music, and he is known for his guitar-playing skills, vocals, liv ...
(2005) * ''Delta Hardware'',
Charlie Musselwhite Charles Douglas Musselwhite (born January 31, 1944) is an American blues harmonica player and bandleader who came to prominence, along with Mike Bloomfield, Paul Butterfield, and Elvin Bishop, as a pivotal figure in helping to revive the Chicago ...
(2006) * ''Remember The Sun'',
Pieta Brown Pieta Brown (born 1973) is a critically acclaimed American singer-songwriter, artist, producer, and multi-instrumentalist who has released eight albums and five EPs. Although she's considered a folk/indie singer-songwriter, Brown also names count ...
(2007) * ''
Down In New Orleans ''Down in New Orleans'' is a gospel album by The Blind Boys of Alabama, released in 2008. It won the award for Best Traditional Gospel Album at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards. At the 40th GMA Dove Awards, the album was named the Traditional Gosp ...
'', The Blind Boys of Alabama (2008) * ''Traveling/Unraveling'',
Steve Poltz Steve Poltz (born February 19, 1960) is a Canadian Americans, Canadian-American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is a founding member of the indie-rock band the Rugburns and collaborated on several songs with singer Jewel (singer), Jewel, in ...
(2008) * ''The Truth According to Ruthie Foster'',
Ruthie Foster Ruthie Cecelia Foster (born February 10, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter of blues and Folk music, folk music. She mixes a wide palette of American song forms, from gospel and blues to jazz, folk and soul. She has often been compared to Bo ...
(2009) * ''Pimps and Preachers'',
Paul Thorn Paul Thorn is an American Southern rock, country, Americana, and blues singer-songwriter, whose style is a mix of blues, country, and rock. Biography Thorn was raised in Tupelo, Mississippi. Before his professional music career began, he was ...
(2010) * ''Take The High Road'', The Blind Boys of Alabama (2011) * ''The Long Surrender'',
Over the Rhine Over-the-Rhine, often abbreviated as OTR, is a List of Cincinnati neighborhoods, residential neighborhood located in the urban basin of Cincinnati, Ohio. Over-the-Rhine is among the largest, most intact urban Historic districts in the United S ...
(2011) * ''Live at Antones'',
Ruthie Foster Ruthie Cecelia Foster (born February 10, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter of blues and Folk music, folk music. She mixes a wide palette of American song forms, from gospel and blues to jazz, folk and soul. She has often been compared to Bo ...
(2011) * ''Over With You'',
Steve Forbert Samuel Stephen Forbert (born December 13, 1954) is an American pop/folk singer-songwriter. His 1979 song "Romeo's Tune" reached No. 11 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and No. 13 on the ''Billboard'' Adult Contemporary (chart ...
(2012) * ''Let It Burn'',
Ruthie Foster Ruthie Cecelia Foster (born February 10, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter of blues and Folk music, folk music. She mixes a wide palette of American song forms, from gospel and blues to jazz, folk and soul. She has often been compared to Bo ...
(2012) * ''What the Hell Is Goin’ On?'',
Paul Thorn Paul Thorn is an American Southern rock, country, Americana, and blues singer-songwriter, whose style is a mix of blues, country, and rock. Biography Thorn was raised in Tupelo, Mississippi. Before his professional music career began, he was ...
(2012) * ''I’ll Find A Way'', The Blind Boys of Alabama (2013) * ''Meet Me At The Edge Of The World'',
Over the Rhine Over-the-Rhine, often abbreviated as OTR, is a List of Cincinnati neighborhoods, residential neighborhood located in the urban basin of Cincinnati, Ohio. Over-the-Rhine is among the largest, most intact urban Historic districts in the United S ...
(2013) * ''Talkin’ Christmas'', The Blind Boys of Alabama and
Taj Mahal The Taj Mahal ( ; ; ) is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. It was commissioned in 1631 by the fifth Mughal Empire, Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan () to house the tomb of his belo ...
(2014) * ''Blood Oranges in the Snow'',
Over the Rhine Over-the-Rhine, often abbreviated as OTR, is a List of Cincinnati neighborhoods, residential neighborhood located in the urban basin of Cincinnati, Ohio. Over-the-Rhine is among the largest, most intact urban Historic districts in the United S ...
(2014) * ''Too Blessed to be Stressed'',
Paul Thorn Paul Thorn is an American Southern rock, country, Americana, and blues singer-songwriter, whose style is a mix of blues, country, and rock. Biography Thorn was raised in Tupelo, Mississippi. Before his professional music career began, he was ...
(2014) * ''Promise of a Brand New Day'',
Ruthie Foster Ruthie Cecelia Foster (born February 10, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter of blues and Folk music, folk music. She mixes a wide palette of American song forms, from gospel and blues to jazz, folk and soul. She has often been compared to Bo ...
(2014) * ''Live at Terminal West'', AJ Ghent Band (2015) * ''This Is Where I Live'', William Bell (2016) * ''Joy Comes Back'',
Ruthie Foster Ruthie Cecelia Foster (born February 10, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter of blues and Folk music, folk music. She mixes a wide palette of American song forms, from gospel and blues to jazz, folk and soul. She has often been compared to Bo ...
(2017) * ''Mission Temple Fireworks Revival'',
Paul Thorn Paul Thorn is an American Southern rock, country, Americana, and blues singer-songwriter, whose style is a mix of blues, country, and rock. Biography Thorn was raised in Tupelo, Mississippi. Before his professional music career began, he was ...
(DVD) (2018) * '' The Salt Doll Went to Measure the Depth of the Sea'',
The Low Anthem The Low Anthem is a band from Providence, Rhode Island, formed in 2006 by friends Ben Knox Miller and Jeff Prystowsky. The current lineup consists of Knox Miller (vocals, guitars, trumpets, saws), Prystowsky (vocals, drums, double basses, synths ...
(2018) * ''Don’t Let the Devil Ride'',
Paul Thorn Paul Thorn is an American Southern rock, country, Americana, and blues singer-songwriter, whose style is a mix of blues, country, and rock. Biography Thorn was raised in Tupelo, Mississippi. Before his professional music career began, he was ...
(2018) * ''Pimps and Preachers'',
Paul Thorn Paul Thorn is an American Southern rock, country, Americana, and blues singer-songwriter, whose style is a mix of blues, country, and rock. Biography Thorn was raised in Tupelo, Mississippi. Before his professional music career began, he was ...
(2010) * ''Love & Revelation'',
Over the Rhine Over-the-Rhine, often abbreviated as OTR, is a List of Cincinnati neighborhoods, residential neighborhood located in the urban basin of Cincinnati, Ohio. Over-the-Rhine is among the largest, most intact urban Historic districts in the United S ...
(2014)


Songwriter

* ''Almost Home'', The Blind Boys of Alabama (2017) * ''From Bamako to Birmingham'', The Blind Boys of Alabama (with
Amadou & Mariam Amadou & Mariam were a blind musical duo from Mali, composed of Bamako-born Amadou Bagayoko (guitar and vocals) (24 October 1954 – 4 April 2025) and Mariam Doumbia (vocals) (born 15 April 1958). As well as being a musical duo, they were a ma ...
) (2020) * ''Netola'', The Blind Boys of Alabama (Single with
Amadou & Mariam Amadou & Mariam were a blind musical duo from Mali, composed of Bamako-born Amadou Bagayoko (guitar and vocals) (24 October 1954 – 4 April 2025) and Mariam Doumbia (vocals) (born 15 April 1958). As well as being a musical duo, they were a ma ...
) (2022) * ''The Message'', The Blind Boys of Alabama (Single with
Black Violin Black Violin is an American hip hop duo from Fort Lauderdale, Florida comprising two classically trained string instrumentalists, Kevin Sylvester and Wilner Baptiste, who go by the stage names Kev Marcus and Wil B. Kev Marcus plays the violin ...
) (2022)


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Driebe, Charles 1956 births Living people