Deaths: "Blue" Boy

From Yahoo!  AP

BOBBY "BLUE" BLAND, 83

Died yesterday, June 23rd.  Noted for his mix of blues and soul on such hits as "Turn On Your Love Light" and "Further On Up the Road" and had one striking and memorable voice.  I especially liked when he'd add that little "rumble" to his voice.

Lawrence Mitchell siad, "He brought a certain level of class to the blues genre."  I have several LPs, CDs and cassettes by him and will pop some into the old players and give a listen today.

A contemporary of better known B.B. King, Bobby Bland was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.  Born is a amall Tennessee town, he moved to Memphis and was a founding father of the Beale Streeters with B.B. King and Johnny Ace.

In 1957, he had his first #1 R&B song with "Further On Up the Road."  The nickname "Blue" came from his song "Little Boy Blue."  Beginning in 1960, with "I'll Yake Care of You," he had a string of a dozen R&B hits in a row, including "Turn On Your Lovelight" in 1961.  Lin Braehmer was playing that very song on Chicago's WXRT as I was reading the name of it in the obituary.  Braehmer also gave some information about him.  Greateful Dead covered the song.

He'll be Missed.