Comments on: So long, Bobby 'Blue' Bland

So long, Bobby 'Blue' Bland

flapjax at midnite — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 22:00:08 -0800

It's time to say farewell to one of the great and legendary voices of American music. Mr Bobby 'Blue' Bland has died. With the perfect combination of muscle and tenderness, grit and sweetness, he gave us so many stellar performances over his long career. Here are but a few: Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City, The Way You Treated Me, Stormy Monday, Further Up the Road, St. James Infirmary, I'll Take Care of You, I Stand Accused, That's the Way Love Is, Ain't Nothing You Can Do... and the list goes on. Thanks for the music, Bobby Bland.

By: OHenryPacey

OHenryPacey — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 22:03:25 -0800

. I was a fan. RIP.

By: raihan_

raihan_ — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 22:06:51 -0800

By: odasaku

odasaku — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 22:11:15 -0800

By: LeLiLo

LeLiLo — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 22:11:20 -0800

By: HuronBob

HuronBob — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 22:13:36 -0800

With BB King in 1977. We've never really found a genre like the blues.... and there are so few masters left. And, let me take this opportunity to thank flapjax at midnite for his contributions to Metafilter, and for many late nights hearing old favorites and discovering new treasures. Thanks....

By: dobbs

dobbs — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 22:14:07 -0800

One of my favorites. RIP. I Pity the Fool.

By: telstar

telstar — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 22:43:58 -0800

Turn On Your Love Light .

By: philip-random

philip-random — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 22:49:44 -0800

. best version of In The Ghetto I've yet heard ...

By: Gary

Gary — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 22:51:24 -0800

By: scody

scody — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 22:58:55 -0800

By: raysmj

raysmj — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 22:58:55 -0800

. . . . . . also .

By: three blind mice

three blind mice — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 23:08:00 -0800

Another giant dead. 83 is a good long run. and there are so few masters left. Old masters. There are plenty of young ones which the old masters have inspired. Blues is alive and well and will outlive us all.

By: HuronBob

HuronBob — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 23:13:29 -0800

Blues is alive and well and will outlive us all. For our kids...I hope you're right...

By: three blind mice

three blind mice — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 23:28:06 -0800

I hope you're right... Nearly every decent sized town has a Blues Society supporting local bands. The Blues Foundation which acts as a sort of umbrella organisation holds an annual competition in Memphis every year - with a special category for under 21. "The list of current blues artists that have competed in the IBC over the years is impressive indeed: Slick Ballinger, Barbara Blue, Fiona Boyes, Eden Brent, Keith Brown, Michael Burks, Sean Carney, Albert Castiglia, Tommy Castro, the late Sean Costello, Albert Cummings, Delta Moon, Larry Garner, Joey Gilmore, Diunna Greenleaf, Zac Harmon, Homemade Jamz Blues Band, Richard Johnston, Joe Moss, Jason Ricci, Robin Rogers, Matthew Skoller, Super Chikan, Patrick Sweany, Susan Tedeschi, Teeny Tucker, Watermelon Slim, the late John Weston and Michelle Wilson." This is American music inspired by American artists like Bobby Bland. Now go out to the club and support your local Blues.

By: chillmost

chillmost — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 23:46:07 -0800

Snort!!! .

By: ThatFuzzyBastard

ThatFuzzyBastard — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 23:56:05 -0800

. Lord what a voice.

By: lapolla

lapolla — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 00:56:30 -0800

By: nicolin

nicolin — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 01:20:42 -0800

Oh, thanks , Flapjax, I had heard some of his music, but didn't know who he was...

By: Vibrissae

Vibrissae — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 02:48:57 -0800

@ No! I loved BBB! What a silky smooth blues that man sang. No forgetting him, ever!

By: niceness

niceness — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 03:15:48 -0800

He also made one of the finest Northern Soul tracks

By: Halloween Jack

Halloween Jack — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 04:32:15 -0800

By: spitbull

spitbull — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 05:42:26 -0800

Oh my. One of the mightiest of his era. Thanks for this well done obit, flapjax. Gonna recommend Charles Keil's 1964 book Urban Blues, which has a delicious description of a BBB club show in it. .

By: Thorzdad

Thorzdad — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 06:09:36 -0800

By: middleclasstool

middleclasstool — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 06:10:59 -0800

By: jonmc

jonmc — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 07:16:56 -0800

RIP to one of the truly great ones. "Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City," is a true masterpiece.

By: thinkpiece

thinkpiece — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 07:26:00 -0800

flapjax, I was on my way to work this morning, looking forward to this post. Thank you!

By: Beardman

Beardman — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 07:28:24 -0800

I first heard of him via Mark Lanegan's cover of I'll Take Care of You. RIP, BBB. .

By: ogooglebar

ogooglebar — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 07:31:54 -0800

By: bukvich

bukvich — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 08:02:17 -0800

On the intro to this Further on up the Road I swear Clapton says "Bobby Blue band" but the song sounds pretty great.

By: vibrotronica

vibrotronica — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 08:02:20 -0800

By: kenko

kenko — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 08:23:45 -0800

By: lord_wolf

lord_wolf — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 08:27:05 -0800

Thanks to Mr. Bland for so many wonderful songs. And thanks to flapjax at midnite for another excellent music post. .

By: drezdn

drezdn — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 08:43:48 -0800

By: Esteemed Offendi

Esteemed Offendi — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 08:53:11 -0800

When I was a student in Chicago there was a late night public radio program which had Bland's Love to See You Smile as the theme...always made pulling an all-nighter more pleasureable...

By: Gelatin

Gelatin — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 09:48:31 -0800

By: Benny Andajetz

Benny Andajetz — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 11:43:11 -0800

Old Skool represent! R.I.P.

By: El Brendano

El Brendano — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 12:14:34 -0800

By: LeLiLo

LeLiLo — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 13:03:14 -0800

A non-bland memory of Bland, from Said the Gramophone.

By: Lynsey

Lynsey — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 14:42:30 -0800

By: Che boludo!

Che boludo! — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 18:23:04 -0800

By: Che boludo!

Che boludo! — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 18:23:09 -0800

By: Che boludo!

Che boludo! — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 18:23:16 -0800

B. B. Y.

By: On the Corner

On the Corner — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 06:06:46 -0800

R.I.P.

By: biscotti

biscotti — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 16:48:27 -0800

Little Boy Blue. The range of texture and sound he could get out of his voice. Starts out all croony and controlled, gets awesomely screamy (and very modern-sounding), then back to croony. Amazing control. I hadn't really listened to him before, happened to hear that track on a tribute on the radio, now I have some new-to-me blues to listen to. I'll be in my bunk.