Bobby "Blue" Bland
OXFORD, Miss. – Hailed by critics as one of the best storytellers of blues and soul music, the late Bobby “Blue” Bland is the subject of a new display at the University of Mississippi’s Department of Archives and Special Collections.
Bland, 83, who died in June in Memphis, Tenn., was known for his recordings and live performances that spanned soul, blues, gospel and pop. B.B. King, who recorded two albums with Bland and toured with him for many years, praised the singer as having “the voice of satin.”
“His voice is really what made Bobby Bland stand out from so many other musicians,” said Greg Johnson, curator of the UM Blues Archive. “I think the mixture of gospel, soul and blues in his music makes him popular across genre lines.”
Bland recorded more than two dozen studio albums and three live LPs, scoring more than 60 R&B hits. Many of these records also were popular with pop music audiences.
Earlier in his career, he recorded for ABC Records, MCA Records and his own Duke Records label. After signing with Malaco Records in Jackson in 1985, he recorded his last nine albums for the label.
A member of the Blues Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Bland received many awards throughout his lifetime, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997.
Even though Bland has no direct ties with the university, the Blues Archive has many items related to the singer in its collection. The display case highlights his importance in the music world, featuring several items from Bland’s career, including a poster from one of his shows, several photos and 45-rpm vinyl records.
The Blues Archive is located within the Department of Archives and Special Collections on the third floor of the J.D. Williams Library. The archive is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and the display will remain up through the end of the summer.
For more information on the Blues Archive, visit http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/general_library/archives/blues/.