Bobby "Blue" Bland      

One of the foremost icons of "Soul Blues" music, Bobby "Blue" Bland has been recording for over 50 years and has always maintained a steady following throughout that time due to his remarkable squawl of a singing voice.
For all his promise, Bland's musical career ignited slowly. He was a founding member of the Beale Streeters, the fabled Memphis aggregation that also included B.B. King and Johnny Ace. Singles for Chess in 1951 (produced by Sam Phillips) and Modern the next year bombed, but that didn't stop local DJ David Mattis from cutting Bland on a couple of 1952 singles for his fledgling Duke logo.
Bland's tormented crying style was still pretty rough around the edges before he entered the Army in late 1952. But his progress upon his 1955 return was remarkable; with saxist Bill Harvey's band (featuring guitarist Roy Gaines and trumpeter Joe Scott) providing sizzling support, Bland's assured vocal on the swaggering "It's My Life Baby" sounds like the work of a new man. By now, Duke was headed by hard-boiled Houston entrepreneur Don Robey, who provided top-flight bands for his artists. Scott soon became Bland's mentor, patiently teaching him the intricacies of phrasing when singing sophisticated fare (by 1962, Bland was credibly crooning "Blue Moon," a long way from Beale Street).
Most of Bland's savage Texas blues sides during the mid- to late '50s featured the slashing guitar of Clarence Hollimon, notably "I Smell Trouble," "I Don't Believe," "Don't Want No Woman," "You Got Me (Where You Want Me)," and the torrid "Loan a Helping Hand" and "Teach Me (How to Love You)." But the insistent guitar riffs guiding Bland's first national hit, 1957's driving "Farther Up the Road," were contributed by Pat Hare, another vicious picker who would eventually die in prison after murdering his girlfriend and a cop. Later, Wayne Bennett took over on guitar, his elegant fretwork prominent on Bland's Duke waxings throughout much of the '60s.
The gospel underpinnings inherent to Bland's powerhouse delivery were never more apparent than on the 1958 outing "Little Boy Blue," a vocal tour de force that wrings every ounce of emotion out of the grinding ballad. Scott steered his charge into smoother material as the decade turned: the seminal mixtures of blues, R&B, and primordial soul on "I Pity the Fool," the Brook Benton-penned "I'll Take Care of You," and "Two Steps From the Blues" were tremendously influential to a legion of up-and-coming Southern soulsters. Scott's blazing brass arrangements upped the excitement ante on Bland's frantic rockers "Turn on Your Love Light" in 1961 and "Yield Not to Temptation" the next year. But the vocalist was learning his lessons so well that he sounded just as conversant on soulful R&B rhumbas (1963's "Call on Me") and polished ballads ("That's the Way Love Is," "Share Your Love With Me") as with an after-hours blues revival of T-Bone Walker's "Stormy Monday Blues" that proved a most unlikely pop hit for him in 1962. With "Ain't Nothing You Can Do," "Ain't Doing Too Bad," and "Poverty," Bland rolled through the mid-'60s, his superstar status diminishing not a whit. In 1973, Robey sold his labels to ABC Records, and Bland was part of the deal. Without Scott and his familiar surroundings to lean on, Bland's releases grew less consistent artistically, though His California Album in 1973 and Dreamer the next year boasted some nice moments (there was even an album's worth of country standards). The singer re-teamed with his old pal B.B. King for a couple of mid-'70s albums that broke no new ground but further heightened Bland's profile, while his solo work for MCA teetered closer and closer to MOR (Bland has often expressed his admiration for ultra-mellow pop singer Perry Como).
Since the mid-'80s, Bland has recorded for Jackson, MS's Malaco Records. His pipes undeniably reflect the ravages of time, and those phlegm-flecked "snorts" he habitually emits become annoying in large doses. But Bobby "Blue" Bland endures as a blues superstar of the loftiest order, resurfacing in 1998 with Memphis Monday Morning.

Album Discography

"Blues Consolidated" (Duke 1958) (Bobby Bland & Junior Walker)

Tracks: You See Me - Little Junior Parker / Mother-in-Law Blues - Little Junior Parker / Barefoot Rock - Little Junior Parker / That's Alright - Little Junior Parker / Wondering - Little Junior Parker / Sitting and Thinking - Little Junior Parker /It's My Life, Baby - Bobby "Blue" Bland / I Smell Trouble - Bobby "Blue" Bland / Farther Up the Road - Bobby "Blue" Bland / Sometime Tomorrow - Bobby "Blue" Bland / You Got Me (Where You Want Me) - Bobby "Blue" Bland / Loan a helping Hand - Bobby "Blue" Bland

"Like Er Red Hot" (Duke 1960)

"Two Steps From The Blues" (Duke 1961/Duke/MCA 2002)

Tracks: Two Steps From the Blues / Cry Cry Cry / I'm Not Ashamed / Don't Cry No More / Lead Me On / I Pity the Fool // I've Got to Forget You / Little Boy Blue / St. James Infirmary / I'll Take Care of You / I Don't Want No Woman / I've Been Wrong So Long

"Here's The Man! (Duke 1962)

Tracks: 36-22-36 / You're the One (That I Adore) / Turn on Your Love Light / Who Will the Next Fool Be / You're Worth It All / Blues in the Night /Your Friends / Ain't that Loving You / Jelly Jelly Jelly / Twistin' Up the Road / Stormy Monday Blues

"Call On Me" (MCA 1963)

Tracks: Call on Me / The Feeling is Gone / Honky Tonk / Cry, Lover, Cry / Wishing Well / Share Your Love with Me /That's the Way Love Is / Care for Me / No Sweeter Girl / Bobby's Blues / Ain't It a Good Thing / Queen for a Day

"Ain't Nothing You Can Do" (MCA 1964)

Tracks: Ain't Nothing You Can Do / If I Hadn't Called You Back / Today/Steal Away / After It's Too Late / I'm Gonna Cry /Loneliness Hurts / When You Put Me Down / If You Could Read My Mind / Reconsider / Black Night / Blind Man

"The Soul of The Man" (MCA 1966)

Tracks: I Can't Stop / Back in the Same Old Bag / Deep in My Soul / Reach Right Out / Ain't Nobody's Business /Fever / Too Late For Tears / Let's Get Together / Soul Stretch / Dear Bobby (The Note) / Playgirl

"Touch of The Blues" (Duke 1967)

Tracks: Touch of the Blues / Set Me Free / That Did It / Road of Broken Hearted Men / Sweet Loving /Driftin' Blues / Sweet Lips of Joy / Sad Feeling / Shoes / One Horse Town

"The Best Of" (Duke 1967)

Tracks: Poverty / I Smell Trouble / Some-Day / I'll Take Care of You / I Pity the Fool / Cry Cry Cry /Turn on Your Love Light / Call on Me / Ain't Nothing You Can Do / If You Could Read My Mind / Farther Up the Road / Stormy Monday

"The Best Of Volume 2" (Duke 1968)

Tracks: 36-22-36 / I Can't Put You Down / I Lost Sight of the World / It's My Life Baby / I Don't Believe /Two Steps From the Blues / You've Got Bad Intentions / Queen for a Day / I Learned My Lesson / Blind Man

"Spotlighting The Man" (Duke 1969)

Tracks: Chains Of Love / Georgia / Since I Fell For You / Who Can I Turn To / Wouldn’t You Rather Have Me /Rockin’ In The Same Old Boat / I’m On My Way / Ask Me ‘Bout Nothing But The Blues / You Ought To Be Ashamed / Gotta Get To Know You

"If Loving You Is Wrong" (Duke 1970)

"Introspective Of The Early Years" (Duke 1970)

Tracks: Disc 1: I Smell Trouble / I Just Got To Forget You / I’ve Been Wrong So Long / Two Steps From The Blues / You’re The One / Who Will The Next Fool Be / You’re Worth It All / Blues In The Night / Sometime Tomorrow / Share Your Love With Me / Road Of Broken Hearted Men / Someday. Disc 2: Touch Of The Blues / That Did It / One Horse Town / Chains Of Love / Since I Fell For You / Who Can I Turn To / If I Hadn’t Called You Back / Loneliness Hurts / Black Night / Blind Man / Save Your Love For Me / Ask Me ‘Bout Nothing But The Blues

"His California Album" (MCA 1973)

Tracks: This Time I'm Gone For Good / Up And Down World / It's Not The Spotlight / (If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want To Be Right / Goin' Down Slow / The Right Place At The Right Time / Help Me Through The Day / Where Baby Went / Friday The 13th Child /
I've Got To Use My Imagination

"Dreamer" (MCA 1974)

Tracks: Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City / I Wouldn't Treat A Dog (The Way You Treated Me) / Lovin' On Borrowed Time / When You Come To End Of The Road / I Ain't Gonna Be The First To Cry // Dreamer / Yolanda / Twenty-Four Hour Blues / Cold Day In Hell / Who's Foolin' Who

"Together For The First Time" (with B.B. King) (MCA 1974)

Tracks: Three O' Clock Blues / It's My Own Fault / Driftin' Blues / That's the Way Love Is / I'm Sorry / I'll Take Care of You /Don't Cry No More / Don't Want a Soul Hangin' Around / Good to Be Back Home/Driving Wheel/Rock Me Baby/Black Night/Cherry Red / Everybody Wants to Know Why I Sing the Blues / Goin' Down Slow / I Like to Live the Love

"Woke Up Screaming" (Duke 1974)

"Get On Down With Bobby Bland" (ABC 1975)

Tracks: I Take It On Home/Today I Started Loving You Again/You've Always Got The Blues/I Hate You//You've Never Been This Far Before/If Fingerprints Showed Up On Skin/Someone To Give My Love To/Too Far Gone/You're Gonna Love Yourself

"Together Again...Live" (with B.B. King) (MCA 1976)

Tracks: Let the Good Times Roll / Medley: Stormy Monday Blues/Strange Things Happen / Feel So Bad / Medley: Mother-In-Law Blues/Mean Old World / Every Day I Have the Blues / Medley: The Thrill Is Gone/I Ain't Gonna Be the First to Cry

"Reflections In Blue" (MCA 1977)

Tracks: The Soul Of A Man/I'll Be Your Fool Once More/Sittin' On A Poor Man's Throne/I Intend To Take Your Place/It Ain't The Real Thing//It's All Over/If I Weren't A Gambler/Five Long Years/I Got The Same Old Blues

"Come Fly with Me" (MCA 1978)

Tracks: Come Fly With Me/Lady Lonely/Night Games/To Be Friends/I'm Just Your Man//Love To See You Smile/You Can Count On Me/This Bitter Earth/Ain't God Something 

"I Feel Good, I Feel Fine" (MCA 1979)

Tracks: I Feel Good, I Feel Fine/I Can't Take No Mo'/Little Mama/Tit For That//Someone To Belong To/Soon As The Weather Breaks/In His Eyes/Red Sails In The Sunset 

"Sweet Vibrations" (MCA 1980)

Tracks: Sweet Vibrator/You'd Be A Millionaire/Soul With A Flavor/Special Kind Of Fool/Somewhere Over The Rainbow//Hollywood Woman/A Real Woman Is What It Takes/Suspicious/Merry Christmas Baby

" Try Me, I'm Real" (MCA 1981)

Tracks: Try Me I’m Real / But I Do / What A Difference A Day Makes / That’s How I Feel About You / Givin’ Up The Streets For Love /Just You Just Me / A Song For You My Son / I Cover The Waterfront / Love Is Where It’s At

"Here We Go Again" (MCA 1982)

Tracks: Here We Go Again / Recess in Heaven / Never Let Me Go / Country Love / Exactly, Where It's At / You're About to Win / Is This the Blues? / Don't Go to Strangers / We've Had a Good Time

"Tell Mr. Bland" (MCA 1983)

Tracks: Tell Mister Bland/I'll Be Good To You/Ain't It A Good Thing/If It Ain't One Thing (It's Another)/It's All In The Game/Queen For A Day/What Is It?/Fever

"You've Got Me Loving You" (MCA 1984)

Tracks: You've Got Me Loving You/Call On Me/It's Too Bad/Get Real Clean/There's A Brigher Day Ahead/I've Got A Friend/Just Because I Love You/Looking Back/You Are My Christmas

"Members Only" (Malaco 1985)

"After All" (Malaco 1986)

"Blues You Can Use" (Malaco 1987)

"First Class Blues" (Malaco 1987)

"Midnight Run" (Malaco 1988)

"The 3 B Boy: Blues Years 1952-1959" (Ace 1991)

"Portrait Of The Blues" (Malaco 1991)

"The Voice: Duke Recordings 1959-1969" (Ace 1991)

"I Pity The Fool: The Duke Recordings, Vol. 1" (MCA 1992)

"Years Of Tears" (Malaco 1993)

"Long Beach 1983 [live]" (Charly 1994)

"Turn On Your Love Light: Duke Recordings, Vol. 2" (MCA 1994)

"Really The Blues" (Monad 1995)

"That Did It!: Duke Recordings Vol. 3" (MCA 1996)

"Sad Street" (Malaco 1996)

"Just One More Step" (601 Music 1998)

"Greatest Hits Volume 1: The Duke Recordings" (Duke/Peacock 1998)

"Greatest Hits Volume 2: The ABC-Dunhill/MCA Recordings" (MCA 1998)

"Live On Beale Street" (Malaco 1998)

"Memphis Monday Morning" (Malaco 1998)

"Blues & Ballads" (MCA 1999)

"The Anthology" (MCA 2001)
 
"Ask me 'Bout Nothing But The Blues" (MCA 2001)

"Blues At Midnight" (Malaco 2003)

"The Definitive Collection" (Universal 2007)

Chart Albums

1962 Here's The Man!!! Pop Albums 53
1963 Call On Me/That's The Way Love Is Pop Albums 11
1964 Ain't Nothing You Can Do Pop Albums 119
1966 The Soul Of The Man Black Albums 17
1967 The Best Of Bobby Bland [Duke] Black Albums 29
1968 A Touch Of The Blues Black Albums 38
1969 Spotlighting The Man Black Albums 24
1974 Dreamer Black Albums 5
1974 Dreamer Pop Albums 172
1974 His California Album Black Albums 3
1974 His California Album Pop Albums 136
1975 Get On Down With Bobby Bland Black Albums 14
1975 Get On Down With Bobby Bland Pop Albums 154
1975 Together For The First Time...Live Black Albums 2
1975 Together For The First Time...Live Pop Albums 43
1976 Together Again...Live Black Albums 9
1976 Together Again...Live Pop Albums 73
1977 Reflections In Blue Black Albums 47
1977 Reflections In Blue Pop Albums 185
1978 Come Fly With Me Black Albums 31
1978 Come Fly With Me Pop Albums 185
1979 I Feel Good, I Feel Fine Black Albums 34
1979 I Feel Good, I Feel Fine Pop Albums 187
1981 Sweet Vibrations Black Albums 29
1981 Try Me, I'm Real Black Albums 52
1982 Here We Go Again Black Albums 22
1983 Tell Mr. Bland Black Albums 50
1983 Tell Mr. Bland Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 71
1984 You've Got Me Loving You Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 35
1985 Members Only Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 45
1985 You've Got Me Loving You Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 74
1986 After All Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 65
1988 Blues You Can Use Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 71
1989 Midnight Run Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 26
1992 Portrait of the Blues Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 50
1993 Years of Tears Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 80
1995 Sad Street Top Blues Albums 11
1995 Sad Street Top Blues Albums 11
1998 Live on Beale Street Top Blues Albums 8
1999 Memphis Monday Morning Top Blues Albums 12
2003 Blues at Midnight Top Blues Albums 4
 

Chart Singles

1957 Farther Up The Road Black Singles 1
1957 Farther Up The Road Pop Singles 43
1958 Little Boy Blue Black Singles 10
1959 I'm Not Ashamed Black Singles 13
1960 Cry Cry Cry Black Singles 9
1960 Cry Cry Cry Pop Singles 71
1960 I'll Take Care Of You Black Singles 2
1960 I'll Take Care Of You Pop Singles 89
1960 Lead Me On Black Singles 9
1961 Don't Cry No More Black Singles 2
1961 Don't Cry No More Pop Singles 71
1961 I Pity The Fool Black Singles 1
1961 I Pity The Fool Pop Singles 46
1961 Turn On Your Love Light Black Singles 2
1962 Ain't That Lovin' You Black Singles 9
1962 Ain't That Lovin' You Pop Singles 86
1962 Stormy Monday Blues Black Singles 5
1962 Stormy Monday Blues Pop Singles 43
1962 Turn On Your Love Light Pop Singles 28
1962 Who Will The Next Fool Be Black Singles 12
1962 Who Will The Next Fool Be Pop Singles 76
1962 Yield Not To Temptation Black Singles 10
1962 Yield Not To Temptation Pop Singles 56
1963 Call On Me Black Singles 6
1963 Call On Me Pop Singles 22
1963 Sometimes You Gotta Cry A Little Black Singles 28
1963 Sometimes You Gotta Cry A Little Pop Singles 56
1963 That's The Way Love Is Black Singles 1
1963 That's The Way Love Is Pop Singles 33
1964 Ain't Doin' Too Bad, Pt. 1-2 Black Singles 49
1964 Ain't Doin' Too Bad, Pt. 1-2 Pop Singles 49
1964 Ain't Nothing You Can Do Black Singles 20
1964 Ain't Nothing You Can Do Pop Singles 20
1964 Share Your Love With Me Black Singles 42
1964 Share Your Love With Me Pop Singles 42
1964 The Feeling Is Gone Black Singles 91
1964 The Feeling Is Gone Pop Singles 91
1965 Ain't No Telling Black Singles 25
1965 Ain't No Telling Pop Singles 93
1965 Black Night Black Singles 99
1965 Black Night Pop Singles 99
1965 Blind Man Black Singles 78
1965 Blind Man Pop Singles 78
1965 Dust Got In Daddy's Eyes Black Singles 23
1965 These Hands (Small But Mighty) Black Singles 4
1965 These Hands (Small But Mighty) Pop Singles 63
1966 I'm Too Far Gone (To Turn Around) Black Singles 8
1966 I'm Too Far Gone (To Turn Around) Pop Singles 62
1966 Poverty Black Singles 9
1966 Poverty Pop Singles 65
1967 Back In The Same Old Bag Again Black Singles 13
1967 That Did It Black Singles 6
1967 You're All I Need Black Singles 6
1967 You're All I Need Pop Singles 88
1967 A Touch of the Blues Black Singles 30
1968 Driftin' Blues Black Singles 23
1968 Driftin' Blues Pop Singles 96
1968 Save Your Love For Me Black Singles 16
1969 Chains Of Love Black Singles 9
1969 Chains Of Love Pop Singles 60
1969 Gotta Get To Know You Black Singles 14
1969 Gotta Get To Know You Pop Singles 91
1969 Rockin' In The Same Old Boat Black Singles 12
1969 Rockin' In The Same Old Boat Pop Singles 58
1970 If Love Ruled The World Black Singles 16
1970 Keep On Loving Me (You'll See The Change) Black Singles 20
1970 Keep On Loving Me (You'll See The Change) Pop Singles 89
1970 Lover With A Reputation Black Singles 28
1971 I'm Sorry Black Singles 18
1971 I'm Sorry Pop Singles 97
1972 Do What You Set Out To Do Black Singles 6
1972 Do What You Set Out To Do Pop Singles 64
1972 I'm So Tired Black Singles 36
1974 Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City Black Singles 9
1974 Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City Pop Singles 91
1974 Goin' Down Slow Black Singles 17
1974 Goin' Down Slow Pop Singles 69
1974 I Wouldn't Treat A Dog (The Way You Treated Me) Pop Singles 88
1974 This Time I'm Gone For Good Black Singles 5
1974 This Time I'm Gone For Good Pop Singles 42
1975 I Take It On Home Black Singles 41
1975 I Wouldn't Treat A Dog (The Way You Treated Me) Black Singles 3
1975 Yolanda Black Singles 21
1976 It Ain't The Real Thing Black Singles 12
1976 Let The Good Times Roll Black Singles 20
1976 Today I Started Loving You Again Black Singles 34
1977 The Soul Of A Man Black Singles 18
1978 Love To See You Smile Black Singles 14
1978 Sittin' On A Poor Man's Throne Black Singles 82
1979 Tit For Tat Black Singles 71
1980 Soon As The Weather Breaks Black Singles 76
1981 You'd Be A Millionaire Black Singles 92
1982 Recess In Heaven Black Singles 40
1985 Members Only Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks 54

Chart information courtesy of Billboard © 2006 VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.