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, whose real name is Emmett Ellis Jr., was born in Homer, Louisiana, on November 10, 1933. He is a famous American blues musician, songwriter, and singer. His music mixes blues, rap, and funk sounds. He also adds a funny touch to his blues songs.

Bobby Rush has won many awards for his music. He has received 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 also 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 Early Life and Music Career

Bobby Rush is the son of Emmett and Mattie Ellis. His father was a pastor who played the guitar and harmonica. These instruments were Bobby's first musical influences. When he was a young child, he started making music. He used a sugarcane syrup bucket and a broom-wire diddley bow.

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. These included Elmore James, Boyd Gilmore, and Johnny "Big Moose" Walker. He soon formed a band to play music with his singing, harmonica, and guitar. His band was called Bobby Rush and the Four Jivers. It included Gilmore, Walker, Pinetop Perkins, and Robert Plunkett. Through Gilmore, Bobby also became friends with Clarksdale musician Ike Turner.

Playing Music as a Teenager

Even as a teenager, Bobby Rush loved to play music. He would wear a fake mustache to perform in local juke joints with his band. He was amazed by how excited the crowds got. In 1953, his family moved to Chicago. There, he became a part of the city's blues music scene. He met and became friends with Little Walter and Muddy Waters. Little Walter helped him get a job at a club called Skins. They played behind a curtain for a white audience. Bobby also started working for Jimmy Reed. These connections helped him perform with famous artists like Etta James, Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, and Jimmy Reed.

First Big Hits and Albums

In the early 1970s, Bobby Rush wrote a song called "Chicken Heads." It was released by Galaxy Records. This song became his first big hit. It reached No. 34 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1971. "Chicken Heads" was Bobby Rush's first gold-certified record. Years later, it was featured in the movie Black Snake Moan. This made the song popular again, and it re-entered the Billboard chart.

Bobby Rush later recorded with a major music label called Philadelphia International. He released his first album, Rush Hour, in 1979. One song from this album, "I Wanna Do the Do," reached No. 75 on the Billboard R&B chart. His next albums to become gold-certified were Sue in 1981 and Ain't Studdin' Ya in 1991.

After living in Chicago for 48 years, Bobby Rush moved to Jackson, Mississippi. He wanted to connect with the roots of his family's history there.

He recorded many songs for different labels. These included LaJam, Malaco's Waldoxy, and his own Deep Rush label. He started Deep Rush in 2003 with his partner Greg Preston. One artist on his label is Dexter Allen, who was also a bandmate.

Documentaries and International Performances

Bobby Rush appeared in the 2003 documentary The Road to Memphis. This film was part of a series called The Blues, produced by Martin Scorsese. Because of this film, Rolling Stone magazine called him the "King of the Chitlin' Circuit." This was because he toured constantly for 50 years and had exciting live shows.

His 2004 album FolkFunk went back to a more traditional blues sound. It featured guitarist Alvin Youngblood Hart. 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 again for Bill and Hillary Clinton at an event in Arkansas.

In 2007, Bobby Rush became 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. This was after he performed the biggest concert ever held at that famous site. Bobby Rush has toured all over the world. He has performed in cities like Sydney, Paris, Tokyo, Shanghai, Johannesburg, Berlin, Rome, and many cities across the United States.

Recent Albums and Awards

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 for 'Soul Blues Album of the Year'. He was nominated for two other awards that year. In 2015, he was nominated for "Best Blues Album" again for Decisions. This album was made with Blinddog Smokin' and featured Dr. John.

In July 2014, Bobby Rush performed one of James Brown's songs 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 film Dolemite Is My Name, performing his song "I Ain't Studdin' You."

Awards and Special Recognition

Bobby Rush started getting more recognition after his 22nd album, Rush, was released. 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 inducted into the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame.

In May 2015, Bobby Rush helped open the Blues Hall of Fame. This event was shown live on local news. 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 of Humanities. During the graduation ceremony, his blues version of "America the Beautiful" was played for the first time. This video was recorded at Royal Studios with other musicians and students.

In 2015, Bobby Rush was also inducted into 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 from the Blues Foundation. 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

In 2017, at 83 years old, Bobby Rush won his first Grammy Award. He won in the category Best Traditional Blues Album for Porcupine Meat. In 2018, a new version of his song "Funk O'De Funk" was nominated for Best Remixed Recording at the 60th Grammy Awards.

Bobby Rush's Music Albums

LP Albums

CD Albums

Selected Singles

Images for kids

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  Bobby Rush in 1999