Bobby Bland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bobby Bland
Background information
Birth name	Robert Calvin Brooks
Also known as	Bobby "Blue" Bland
Born	(1930-01-27)January 27, 1930 Barretville, Tennessee, U.S.
Died	June 23, 2013(2013-06-23) (aged 83) Germantown, Tennessee, U.S.
Genres	Blues soul blues R&B soul
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter arranger bandleader
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	Duke ABC MCA Malaco
Associated acts	B.B. King Junior Parker

Robert Calvin Bland (born Robert Calvin Brooks; January 27, 1930 – June 23, 2013), known professionally as Bobby "Blue" Bland, was an American blues singer. He was famous for his powerful voice and emotional songs.

Bobby Bland created a unique sound. It blended gospel music with the blues and R&B. People called him "among the great storytellers of blues and soul music." He sang about feelings like love and sadness. His music was also influenced by the smooth style of Nat King Cole.

Bobby Bland received many honors for his music. He was added to the Blues Hall of Fame in 1981. In 1992, he joined the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He also entered the Memphis Music Hall of Fame in 2012. In 1997, he won a special Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame said he was second only to B.B. King from the Memphis Beale Street blues scene.

Bobby Bland's Life and Music

Growing Up

Bobby Bland was born Robert Calvin Brooks. This was in a small town called Barretville, Tennessee. His father left the family soon after Robert was born. Robert later took the name "Bland" from his stepfather, Leroy Bridgeforth. He stopped school in third grade to work in the cotton fields. He never finished school.

In 1947, Bobby moved to Memphis with his mother. There, he began singing with local gospel groups. One group was called the Miniatures. He wanted to explore more music. So, he started visiting Beale Street, a famous music area in Memphis. He met other young musicians there. These included B.B. King, Rosco Gordon, Junior Parker, and Johnny Ace. They were known together as the Beale Streeters.

Starting His Career

In 1951, a talent scout named Ike Turner recorded Bobby Bland. This happened at Tuff Green's house in Memphis. Bobby couldn't read music. So, they first recorded the only song he knew, "They Call It Stormy Monday." This recording was not released then. But Bobby later recorded the song in 1961. It became one of his hit songs.

Ike Turner played piano on Bobby's first two records. These were released under the name Robert Bland. From 1951 to 1952, Bobby recorded singles for Modern and Sun Records. These records were not very successful. But they caught the attention of Duke Records. Bobby's early recordings showed him trying to find his own style. His music career paused for two years. He served in the U.S. Army. During this time, he sang in a band with Eddie Fisher.

When Bobby returned to Memphis in 1954, some of his friends were very successful. Johnny Ace was one of them. Bobby joined Ace's music show. He also went back to Duke Records. This company was run by Don Robey. Robey gave Bobby a new contract. Bobby couldn't read it. The contract gave him only half a cent for each record sold. The usual amount was 2 cents.

Bobby released his first single for Duke in 1955. In 1956, he started touring with Junior Parker. Their show was called Blues Consolidated. Bobby first worked as Parker's helper and driver. He began recording for Duke with bandleader Bill Harvey. Joe Scott was the arranger. They helped Bobby create his special singing style. They also made the big-band blues songs he became known for. Wayne Bennett often played guitar. Unlike many blues musicians, Bobby Bland did not play an instrument.

Becoming Famous

Bobby Bland's first big hit was in 1957. It was "Farther Up the Road." This song reached number 1 on the R&B chart. It also reached number 43 on the Billboard Hot 100. After that, he had many more R&B hits. These included "Little Boy Blue" (1958). He also recorded an album with Junior Parker in 1958. It was called Blues Consolidated.

Bobby's best work was heard in the early 1960s. He released songs like "Cry Cry Cry" and "I Pity the Fool." "I Pity the Fool" was number 1 on the R&B chart in 1961. Another hit was "Turn On Your Love Light." Many other bands later covered this song. Many of these classic songs were written by Joe Scott. Bobby also recorded a popular version of T-Bone Walker's "Call It Stormy Monday (But Tuesday Is Just as Bad)."

His last song to reach number 1 on the R&B chart was "That's the Way Love Is" in 1963. He kept having R&B hits through the mid-1960s. But he didn't become a huge pop star. His highest pop chart song was "Ain't Nothing You Can Do." It reached number 20 in 1964. That same week, the Beatles had the top five songs. Bobby's records mostly sold well in the R&B market. He had 23 top ten hits on the Billboard R&B chart. He was ranked number 13 of all-time top-charting artists.

Later Years in Music

Bland, 1974

Bobby Bland faced money problems. He had to make his touring band smaller. In 1968, the band broke up. His record company, Duke Records, was sold to ABC Records. This led to new blues and soul albums. These included His California Album and Dreamer. These albums were recorded in Los Angeles. Many top musicians played on them.

The first song from His California Album was "This Time I'm Gone for Good." It brought Bobby back into the pop Top 50 in 1973. It also made the R&B top 10. The song "Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City" from Dreamer was a big R&B hit. The hard-rock band Whitesnake released a version of it in 1978. Later, Kanye West used parts of it for Jay-Z's album The Blueprint (2001). The song is also in the movie The Lincoln Lawyer (2011).

Another song, "I Wouldn't Treat a Dog," was his biggest R&B hit in years. It reached number 3 in 1974. But it only reached number 88 on the pop chart. Later attempts to add disco music to his style were not very successful. In 1980, he returned to his blues roots. He made an album called Sweet Vibrations. It honored his mentor Joe Scott. But it did not sell well outside his usual audience.

In 1985, Bobby Bland signed with Malaco Records. This company specialized in traditional Southern black music. He made several albums with them. He also kept touring and performing with B.B. King. They had worked together on two albums in the 1970s. Even with some health issues as he got older, Bobby kept recording new albums. He also performed tours alone and with B.B. King. He sang at blues and soul festivals around the world.

In 1985, his album Members Only reached number 45 on Billboard's R&B albums chart. The song "Members Only" reached number 54 for R&B singles. This was his last chart single. It became his most famous song for the rest of his career. Bobby Bland was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. The Hall of Fame said he was "second in stature only to B. B. King as a product of Memphis's Beale Street blues scene."

Music Collaborations and Tributes

The Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison was a fan of Bobby Bland. He covered "Turn On Your Love Light" with his band Them. He also covered "Ain't Nothing You Can't Do" on his 1974 live album. Bobby Bland sometimes sang as a guest at Van Morrison's concerts. In 2007, Van Morrison's album The Best of Van Morrison Volume 3 included a duet of them singing "Tupelo Honey."

In 2008, the British singer Mick Hucknall released an album called Tribute to Bobby. It featured songs connected to Bobby Bland. The album reached number 18 in the UK Albums Chart.

His Final Years

Bobby Bland kept performing until shortly before he passed away. He died on June 23, 2013, at his home in Germantown, Tennessee. This is a town near Memphis. His family said he had been ill for some time. He was 83 years old. He is buried at Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis. He was survived by his wife, Willie Martin Bland, and his son Rodd. Rodd is also a musician. After Bobby's death, Rodd told the news that Bobby had recently said the blues musician James Cotton was his half-brother.

Awards and Honors

Bobby Bland was nominated for seven Grammy Awards during his career. He received many special honors:

• Blues Hall of Fame - inducted 1981
• Rhythm and Blues Pioneer Award - 1992
• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - inducted 1992
• Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award - 1997
• Rhythm & Blues Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award - 1998
• Grammy Hall of Fame - "Turn On Your Love Light" (1999)
• Memphis Music Hall of Fame - inducted 2012
• National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame - inducted 2021

Discography

Studio Albums

Live Albums

Collaborative Album

• Blues Consolidated, 1958 (Duke Records) (with Junior Parker)

Compilation Albums

• The Best of Bobby Bland, 1967 (Duke Records)
• The Best of Bobby Bland, vol. 2, 1968 (Duke Records)
• First Class Blues, 1987 (Malaco Records)
• The "3B" Blues Boy: The Blues Years 1952-1959, 1991 (Ace Records)
• I Pity the Fool: The Duke Recordings, vol. 1, 1992 (MCA)
• Turn on Your Love Light: The Duke Recordings, vol. 2, 1994 (MCA)
• That Did It!: The Duke Recordings, vol. 3, 1996 (MCA)
• Greatest Hits, Vol. 1: The Duke Recordings, 1998 (MCA, Duke/Peacock)
• Greatest Hits, Vol. 2: The ABC–Dunhill/MCA Recordings, 1998 (MCA)
• The Anthology, 2001 (MCA)
• Unmatched: The Very Best of Bobby Bland, 2011 (Malaco)
• Angel in Anguish: The Deep, Deep Soul of Bobby Blue Bland, 2013 (Fingertips)

Singles

See also

In Spanish: Bobby Bland para niños