Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland (1930-2013)

Published by The Editor at June 24, 2013

Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland, the legendary singer whose soft, cool vocals were augmented by gospel-inspired squalls, passed away on Sunday of complications from an ongoing illness. He was 83.

Bland was born in Rosemark, Tennessee, but moved to Memphis in 1947 where he lived the remainder of his life. He started out in gospel groups, but was soon drawn to the diverse sounds coming out of the clubs on Beale Street. It was there where Bland began a lifelong friendship with B.B. King, with whom he toured with frequently and recorded a series of well-received live albums in the mid 1970s. After a brief run in the Army, Bland began a 25 year plus relationship with Duke Records recording seminal hits like ‘Farther Up The Road’, ‘I Pity The Fool’ (both #1 on the R&B charts), ‘Don’t Cry No More’, ‘Turn On Your Love Light’, ‘These Hands (Small But Mighty)’, ‘Stormy Monday’, among many others. Money problems, depression and alcoholism threatened to end his career in the late 60s/early 70’s, but by 1971, he stopped drinking and re-focused on his career. Duke was sold to ABC Records and staff producer Joe Barri put Bland with the top L.A. session musicians. The albums His California Album, Dreamer, and Reflections In Blue were critical and commercial hits and the songs ‘This Time I’m Gone For Gone’, ‘I Wouldn’t Treat A Dog (The Way You Treated Me) and ‘Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City’ all reached the Top 10 on the R&B charts.

Bland never had the crossover success that his contemporaries had, but he had a multi-generational effect on musicians. Bland’s phrasings and preacher-like squalls had a profound influence on everyone from Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Gregg Allman, Al Green, Teddy Pendergrass and Anthony Hamilton. Van Morrison openly championed Bland, covering ‘Ain’t Nothing You Can Do’ on his live album It’s Too Late To Stop Now and teaming up with Bland to re-record ‘Tupelo Honey’. Eric Clapton’s cover of ‘Farther On Up The Road’ was featured in the film The Last Waltz. The Band covered ‘Share Your Love With Me’ on their rock n roll tribute album Moondog Maintee and The Grateful Dead used ‘Turn On Your Love Light’ as the centerpiece of their live shows. ‘Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City’ was covered by Whitesnake and Kayne West sampled by the track for the Jay Z track ‘Heart Of The City (Ain’t No Love)’.

A 1992 Rock And Roll Of Fame inductee and a Grammy Award winner for Lifetime Achievement in 1997, Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland leaves behind a rich musical legacy that will stand the test of time.

Rest in peace Bobby.

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Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland Playlist

Farther On Up The Road