Robert Calvin Bland (born Robert Calvin Brooks; January 27, 1930 – June 23, 2013), known professionally as Bobby "Blue" Bland, was an American blues singer.
Bland developed a sound that mixed gospel with the blues and R&B. He was described as "among the great storytellers of blues and soul music... [who] created tempestuous arias of love, betrayal and resignation, set against roiling, dramatic orchestrations, and left the listener drained but awed." He was sometimes referred to as the "Lion of the Blues" and as the "Sinatra of the Blues". His music was also influenced by Nat King Cole.
Bland was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1981, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, and the Memphis Music Hall of Fame in 2012. He received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997.The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame described him as "second in stature only to B.B. King as a product of Memphis's Beale Street blues scene". In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Bland at number 163 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.
Links to Peel[]
Peel described Bobby Bland in Singles Reviews, published in Sounds on 26th October 1974, as having one of the classic voices, when reviewing his single, 'Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City'. It is not known whether Peel played any of his songs in the 60's, when the singer started his career.
Shows Played[]
- 14 February 1974: It's Not The Spotlight (LP - His California Album) ABC
- 1977
- 21 July 1977: I Got The Same Old Blues (album - Reflections In Blue) ABC
- 1982
- 18 March 1982: I Pity The Fool
- 1983
- 10 April 1983 (BFBS): I Pity The Fool (7") Duke
- 1984
- 29 March 1984: Living On Borrowed Time
- 20 June 1984: Ask Me 'Bout Nothing (But The Blues) (v/a LP - Pure Soul) Kent
- 1985
- 01 July 1985: Good Time Charlie (7" - Shoes / Call On Me EP) Kent
- 2000
- 21 March 2000: I Pity The Fool (LP – Two Steps From The Blues) Duke
- 30 March 2000 (Radio Eins): I Pity The Fool (LP – Two Steps From The Blues) Duke
- March 2000 (FSK): I Pity The Fool (LP – Two Steps From The Blues) Duke
- 25 May 2000 (Radio Eins): Little Boy Blue (LP - Two Steps from The Blues) Duke
- 30 May 2000: Little Boy Blue (LP - Two Steps from The Blues) Duke
- 2001
- 08 March 2001: I'm Too Far Gone (To Turn Around) (7" - I’m Too Far Gone (To Turn Around) / If You Could Read My Mind) Duke
- 28 March 2001: I'm Too Far Gone (To Turn Around) (Duke)
- 2002
- 08 October 2002: 'I Pity The Fool (LP-Two Steps from the Blues)' (Duke)