Bobby "Blue" Bland ist gestorben
25.06.2013 Der 1930 in Rosemark, Tennessee, geborene US-amerikanische Blues- und Soul-Sänger Bobby "Blue" Bland (Bild) ist gestern in Memphis gestorben.
Foto: Masahiro Sumori, 1996 - Lizenz: Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported - Zur Originaldatei: http://en.wikipedia.org
"Sinatra des Blues" nannte man ihn, Clapton coverte seine Songs, Jay-Z samplete sie: Bobby "Blue" Bland war ein Sänger, den die Kenner verehrten, doch das ganz grosse Publikum erreichte er nie. Nun ist der Mann mit dem charakteristischen Gurgeln in der Stimme gestorben.
Bland was known as the "the Sinatra of the blues" and was heavily influenced by Nat King Cole, often recording with lavish arrangements to accompany his smooth vocals. He even openly imitated Frank Sinatra on the "Two Steps From the Blues" album cover, standing in front of a building with a coat thrown over his shoulder.
"He brought a certain level of class to the blues genre," said Lawrence "Boo" Mitchell, son of legendary musician and producer Willie Mitchell.
After moving to Memphis when he was a teenager, Bland co-founded the Beale Streeters, a group that included B.B. King and Johnny Ace. Following a stint in the U.S. Army, Bland recorded in the mid-Fifties with Sun Records founder Sam Phillips, who launched the careers of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins, but it wasn't until later in the decade that Bland found success.
Mehr:
http://www.wlatalent.com/roster/bobby_bland/artistprofile.htm
http://www.authenticblues.com/component/muscol/B/30-bobby-bland.html
http://www.soulfulkindamusic.net/bbland.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Bland
Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/artist/bobby-blue-bland