Bobby 'Blue' Bland Rest In Peace

Sad news indeed.....my favourite artist, his songs inspired me to search out the grittier side of soul from an early age.

R.I.P Mr Bobby 'Blue' Bland.

Sorry to say never got to see him live, but so many great 45s and albums by the man to remember him by...

RIP Bobby Blue Bland.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrlsVJl4aYw

one of the best ever - RIP Bobby Bland

..thank you for one of my favourite ever songs...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF9Bv-5A59w

This looks like a hoax!

https://en.mediamass.net/people/bobby-bland/deathhoax.html

"Bobby Bland Death Hoax Dismissed Since Singer Is ‘Alive And Well’

On Sunday (June 23) the singer's reps officially confirmed that Bobby Bland is not dead. “He joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. He's still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet,” they said.

Gonna lock and hide this thread until news can be confirmed...

Unfortunately the sad news reported appears to be now confirmed

The quote above is from the news article linked below titled

R.I.P. Bobby "Blue" Bland: R&B Singer With Deep Houston Ties Dies at 83

https://blogs.houstonpress.com/rocks/2013/06/rip_bobby_blue_bland_rb_singer.php

RIP Bobby 'The Man' Bland. You will be sorely missed. Your legacy to the world is and has always been your music, which will live on forever in all of us.

Sad news, rest in peace Bobby Bland.

Very Sad News.

R.I.P. Bobby Bland

Terrible news, lost a giant one of my top singers so sad

Ain't Nothing You Do was the track that caused me to seek out more of his stuff. Fabulous singer. I shall be spinning his Touch Of The Blues LP today in memory of the man. RIP Bobby.

Just yesterday left something on the thread for Mary Love, so this really does come as a shock.

I'm obviously not alone, but Ive been a Bobby Bland fan from the very start of my love for Soul Music, ever since a mates mum sold me the 'Piece of Gold' LP as school. My only regret has been that the one occasion he came over to play at then Albert Hall, with Van Morrison, I didn't make the effort to see him live. He will be sorely missed by all, but personally his music has been such a constant in my life...

Lades and Gentlemen, here's the man! I mean the man! The Sensational, The Incomparable, The Dynamic...

Bobby, 'Bobby' Bland !!!

Rest in Peace Bobby...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhiOzqISD-w

One of the greatest vocalists, that's for sure.

A catalogue undiminished by time and an a legacy that will endure.

I saw him in a seedy supper club in San Diego in the early 80's and without doubt one of the most awe inspiring performances I've ever been so fortunate to witness.

rest in peace señor!

First came across the great man when following up on David Bowies 'Manish Boys' single 'I Pity The Fool' Opened a whole new field of Music for me.

RIP Bobby

RIP Bobby. So many great records.

Probably one of the greatest of alltime...

I was a massive collector of Bobby Bland and with Curtis Mayfield had a massive effect on my teenage years and beyond..

He has left us with a fantastic catalogue of brilliant music.

R.I.P. Bobby

Sad day, one of the true greats who trod that thin dividing line between blues and soul so gracefully

RIP Bobby

yet another legend as past a great loss but his music will never die RIP BOBBY

Honey Child will always be one of my favourite soul/RnB records. Unmistakable vocals and the raw passion in his voice is shuddering. Awesome. RIP Bobby.

I have never heard a record of his that didn't have something special or extraordinary about it. He and Little Willie John are the only two soul/RnB vocalists about whom I can honestly say that.

hearing 'shoes' at my first wigan allniter at 5am in the morning - never forget it ..RIP Bobby Bland.......

RIP BB."I aint myself anymore" is a special song.Hearing "Getting used to the blues" blasting out at the 100 club was a memorable moment for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePTumhU8lPw

Very sad, I think Bobby could be described as a soul fans' singer. It took me quite a while to "get" him but once I did it was marvelous. I think he's a very black singer too, his hits were mainly R&B, from all his scores of releases not one entered the Hot 100 top twenty and not one British hit of any description.

R.I.P BOBBY A TRUE LEGEND

Very sad news, but not really unexpected I guess. Although he's had a few tracks played on the Northern scene he's one for all soul fans imo. I love his slower tunes. Here's a link to one of my favourites, The Note, Dear Bobby, on YouTube. Wonderful imo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3u3i9xTAZ98

ANYTHING but "bland", the music legacy this guy has left behind. RIP Bobby. 

R.I.P. Bobby a true giant of Blues and Soul

John

One of the greatest vocalists, that's for sure.

 

A catalogue undiminished by time and an a legacy that will endure.

 

I saw him in a seedy supper club in San Diego in the early 80's and without doubt one of the most awe inspiring performances I've ever been so fortunate to witness.

Likewise, saw him in a small Blues bar in Toronto 5 years or so ago and he was absolutely bloody brilliant, he did 2 shows as well that night

RIP

I saw him at the sadly no more astoria in charing cross rd london,he was sharing the bill with irma thomas and earl king.He was incredible that night ,he somehow managed to crossover to soul  and still sound bluesy.He will be sadly missed.

 A  real R&B  singer..........could touch you and move you and make you wanna  dance sometimes  to...cant ask for anything more ..........ez

His California Album will always remain one of my all time favourites and a true classic.

Legend

Brian Fradgley

sad news again rip bobby bland

Just read about bobby bland loved shoes 

                                                    but 83 is'nt  a bad age 

                                                                                RIP Bobby

                                                                                                Richo

 Bobby Bland made a huge impression on my early soul & R&B listening. What an incredible body of work he has left us!.

I love nearly all of the Duke material ...B sides included.

Thanks to Dave Godin for pointing the way in the many  Bobby Bland sides he wrote about. 

Anyone wanting some related inexpensive reading material ought to pick up Charles Keil's "Urban Blues" book in which Bobby's

on-stage act circa 1965/6 is observed.

a giant falls silent....."what's gonna become of me,...now iv'e lost my yum yum tree?" bobby bland r.i.p.

 

 

I saw him in a seedy supper club in San Diego in the early 80's and without doubt one of the most awe inspiring performances I've ever been so fortunate to witness.

Jaco, I'd be curious to know if you remember the name of that club? I'm originally from San Diego and love to find out more about its seemingly non-existent history with soul music. 

Jaco, I'd be curious to know if you remember the name of that club? I'm originally from San Diego and love to find out more about its seemingly non-existent history with soul music. 

Hey Andreas, I don't think there is any chance of me remembering it.

We were staying in La Jolla and on the same night we watched UB40 somewhere in San Diego at what I imagine was a basketball arena.

We then had to get to this club where I'd seen Bobby Bland advertised.

It was definitely what you would describe as a supper club - I remember he came on certainly after midnight.

I think my wife and I plus maybe one more were the only white people in the club, not that it was a problem, but it would not be a stretch to say it was not in an upscale area of the city!

He asked the audience to write down requests and I asked for "Shoes" and "Yum yum tree" and he actually gave us a few bars of "Shoes" laughing that his band wouldnt even know it!

It was a memorable night nonetheless.

It's a trite phrase sometimes bandied about with no thought behind it but there are some people whos contribution cannot possibly be measured
- I've been trying really hard to think of a duff record he made, couldn't do it. Even at his worst ...................

For me the telling record was St James Infirmary, out of the numberless versions out there his was the best- simple , passionate, words almost fail me.
Studio, live didn't matter.

It's a trite phrase sometimes bandied about with no thought behind it but there are some people whos contribution cannot possibly be measured

- I've been trying really hard to think of a duff record he made, couldn't do it. Even at his worst ...................

For me the telling record was St James Infirmary, out of the numberless versions out there his was the best- simple , passionate, words almost fail me.

Studio, live didn't matter.

Saw him for free at Lincoln Center quite a few years ago, open air, with James Cotton wailing, Magic.

Gone but not forgotten.

RIP

You nailed it .Perfect tribute!.

A colossus of music.  One of the greatest of all time and so criminal that his passing has been ignored by the mainstream media despite him being a Grammy winner.

I loved virtually all his work from I’ll Take Care of you and Cry, Cry, Cry, through to Hurtin’ Love and When Hearts Grow Cold - A Bluesoul master, who has left a great legacy.

You nailed it .Perfect tribute!.

Thanks, not perfect, but then 1000 pages wouldn't be either.

He was one of my favourite artists and without doubt blessed by a higher being with one of those unique voices don't think there was a piece of music he did that I couldn't connect with.His feet were in Hell and soul was in heaven God Bless Bobby Bland.I'll meet you at the cross roads Sir.

RIP Bobby. The biggest name on Duke, indeed, the Duke of Soul such was his catalogue. Thanks for so many good sounds...

Such a haunting voice that melts me every time.

First heard Bobby "Blue" Bland when I was on the UK Mod scene in the mid 80's, and I was hooked. 

Rest in Peace Bobby 

Thank you for the Blues 

Alison x

Bobby Bland . Passing of a musical legend. R.I.P

Ste

RIP Bobby Thanks for all the classic tunes you gave to us