Bobby Rush (musician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bobby Rush
Rush in 1999
Background information
Birth name	Emmett Ellis Jr.
Born	(1933-11-10) November 10, 1933 (age 91) Homer, Louisiana, United States
Origin	Pine Bluff, Arkansas, United States
Genres	Blues, electric blues, soul, R&B, funk, disco, acoustic blues, soul-blues
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter, record producer
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, harmonica
Years active	1951–present
Labels	Various

Bobby Rush (born Emmett Ellis Jr. on November 10, 1933, in Homer, Louisiana) is an American blues musician, songwriter, and singer. His music mixes blues, rap, and funk styles. He is also known for his funny approach to blues music.

Bobby Rush has won many awards, including twelve Blues Music Awards. In 2017, when he was 83 years old, he won his first Grammy Award for his album Porcupine Meat. He is a member of the Blues Hall of Fame, the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame, and the Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame.

Bobby Rush's Musical Journey

Early Life and Music

Bobby Rush is the son of Emmett and Mattie Ellis. His father was a pastor who played the guitar and harmonica. This gave Bobby his first musical ideas. As a young child, he started making music using a sugarcane syrup bucket and a diddley bow. A diddley bow is a simple string instrument.

Around 1947, Bobby and his family moved to Pine Bluff, Arkansas. There, his father became a church pastor and a farmer. In Pine Bluff, Bobby became friends with other musicians like Elmore James and Johnny "Big Moose" Walker. He formed a band called Bobby Rush and the Four Jivers. Even as a teenager, he would wear a fake mustache to play in local clubs called juke joints. He loved how excited the crowds were.

Moving to Chicago and First Hits

In 1953, Bobby's family moved to Chicago. There, he became a part of the city's lively blues music scene. He met and became friends with famous blues artists like Little Walter and Muddy Waters. Little Walter even helped him get a job playing music. Bobby started performing with other big names like Etta James and Howlin' Wolf.

In the early 1970s, Bobby Rush wrote a song called "Chicken Heads." It became his first big hit! The song reached No. 34 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1971. "Chicken Heads" was certified gold, meaning it sold a lot of copies. Years later, it was featured in the movie Black Snake Moan, and it became popular again.

Bobby later recorded with a major music company, Philadelphia International. His first album with them, Rush Hour, came out in 1979. One song from that album, "I Wanna Do the Do," reached No. 75 on the Billboard R&B chart. His albums Sue (1981) and Ain't Studdin' Ya (1991) also sold very well, becoming gold certified.

Later Career and Global Performances

After living in Chicago for 48 years, Bobby Rush moved to Jackson, Mississippi. He wanted to connect with his family's roots there. He continued to record music for different labels and even started his own, Deep Rush, in 2003.

In 2003, Bobby appeared in a documentary film called The Road to Memphis. This film was part of a series about the blues produced by Martin Scorsese. Because of this film, Rolling Stone magazine called him the "King of the Chitlin' Circuit." This nickname came from his many years of touring and his exciting live shows.

In 2004, his album FolkFunk brought him back to a more traditional blues sound. That same year, he helped judge the Independent Music Awards. He also performed at the White House with James Brown when Bill Clinton became president. In 2014, he performed for Bill and Hillary Clinton again in Arkansas.

In 2007, Bobby Rush made history by becoming the first blues artist to perform in China. This earned him the title "International Dean of the Blues." He was later named Friendship Ambassador to the Great Wall of China after playing the biggest concert ever held there! Bobby Rush has toured all over the world, performing in places like Australia, France, Japan, South Africa, and many major cities in the United States.

Recent Achievements

In 2014, Bobby Rush's album Down in Louisiana was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Blues Album." It also won a Blues Music Award. In 2015, his album Decisions was nominated for another Grammy Award.

In July 2014, Bobby Rush performed a James Brown song with Dan Aykroyd on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. He also appeared in the 2015 documentary film I Am the Blues. In 2019, he appeared as himself in the movie Dolemite Is My Name, performing his song "I Ain't Studdin' You."

Awards and Special Recognition

Bobby Rush has received many awards and honors for his music.

• After his 22nd album, Rush, he won "Best Male Soul Blues Artist" at the Blues Music Awards.
• He also won "best acoustic artist" and "best acoustic album" for his album Raw.
• In 2006, Bobby Rush was added to the Blues Hall of Fame.
• In 2008, he was honored with a special marker on the Mississippi Blues Trail in Jackson, Mississippi.
• In 2012, he was added to the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame.
• In May 2015, Bobby Rush helped open the Blues Hall of Fame building.
• In 2015, he won two Blues Music Awards: 'Soul Blues Male Artist' and 'B.B. King Entertainer of the Year'.
• In May 2019, Rhodes College gave Bobby Rush an honorary doctorate degree. As part of the ceremony, his blues version of "America the Beautiful" was shown for the first time.
• In 2015, Bobby Rush was also added to the Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame.
• In 2017, he won a Blues Music Award for Album of the Year for "Porcupine Meat." He also won for Historical Album of the Year for Chicken Heads: A 50-Year History of Bobby Rush. These were his eleventh and twelfth Blues Music Awards!
• In 2020, he won his 13th Blues Music Award for 'Soul Blues Album of the Year' for Sitting on Top of the Blues.

Grammy Awards

Bobby Rush has won several Grammy Awards for his music:

• In 2017, he won his first Grammy Award for Porcupine Meat in the category of Best Traditional Blues Album. He was 83 years old!
• In 2018, a remixed version of his song "Funk O'De Funk" was nominated for a Grammy, but it did not win.
• In 2021, he won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album for Rawer than Raw.
• In 2024, he won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album for All My Love for You.

Discography

Albums (LP)

Albums (CD)

Singles (selected)

See also

• Chicago Blues Festival