{"id":580,"date":"2013-06-24T09:26:35","date_gmt":"2013-06-24T13:26:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mattthecat.com\/Blog2\/?p=580"},"modified":"2013-06-24T09:26:35","modified_gmt":"2013-06-24T13:26:35","slug":"bobby-blue-bland-dies-at-83","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mattthecat.com\/Blog2\/2013\/06\/24\/bobby-blue-bland-dies-at-83\/","title":{"rendered":"Bobby “Blue” Bland Dies at 83"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bobby “Blue” Bland<\/span><\/h1>\n

\"Bobby<\/a>1930 – 2013<\/span><\/h3>\n

BOBBY “BLUE” BLAND passed away on June 23, 2013 at the age of 83 from complications from a long illness.\u00c2\u00a0 BLAND was one of the most influential blues cats of the mid-20th Century, coming out of Memphis with a style all his own.\u00c2\u00a0 He wasn’t gruff and he wasn’t raw…BLAND’s style was smooth and soulful.\u00c2\u00a0 He was born in Rosemark, TN on Jan. 27, 1930.\u00c2\u00a0 In Memphis, he joined up with The Beal Streeters, a revolving roster of musicians that at one time or another included B.B. King, Johnny Ace and Little Junior Parker.\u00c2\u00a0 BLAND debuted on Duke Records in 1952 with “I.O.U. Blues” b\/w “Lovin’ Blues.”\u00c2\u00a0 After a stint in the Army took him away for a few years, he was back on Duke in ’55 with “Time Out” b\/w “It’s My Life, Baby.”\u00c2\u00a0 His chart debut came in late summer, 1957 with the #1 R&B smash, “Further Up The Road” (Duke).\u00c2\u00a0 From there, BLAND racked up 62 more R&B hits up through 1985, including 2 more #1s (1961’s “I Pity The Fool” and 1963’s “That’s The Way Love Is”).\u00c2\u00a0 BOBBY “BLUE” BLAND was called the “Sinatra Of The Blues” due to his smoothness and phrasing, BUT the man could still scream…a full, hardy, soulful, almost other-worldly scream as witnessed in this 1962 R&B Top 10 classic, “Yield Not To Temptation,” one of my all-time favorite BOBBY BLAND tunes.\u00c2\u00a0 Rest in peace, Mr. BLAND.\u00c2\u00a0 We’ll sure miss you down here.<\/span>
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