Major Works of Musician Bobby Rush
- Lovin’ A Big Fat Woman
- Booga Bear
- Feel Like Getting’ It On
- Can’t Save A Cent
- Me and My Harp
- Searching
- Cold Out Doors
- Buttermilk
- Bottom
- Bottle Up and Go
- Cold Hearted Woman
- One Monkey
- Don’t Stop No Show
- Hen Pecked
- Cut me In
- I Need Someone
Dangerous - I Wanna Get Close To Ya
- People Sure Act Funny
- Jezebel
- Blues With A Feeling
- She’s So Fine
Bobby Rush: A Biography
by Shequetta Gandy (SHS)
Shequetta Gandy (SHS Researcher)
Emmit Ellis Jr., better known as a Bobby Rush, writes and sings funky blues, R&B, and soul songs. Santelli’s Big Book of Blues states that Rush was born November 10, 1940 (120). However, another source says that he was born November 10, 1936 (Yahoo’s Music Finder). The sources agree that he was born in Homer, Louisiana, to his mother Mattie and to a preacher of two churches. As a child he was involved in church but never sang in the choir
At a very early age, Rush was involved in musical experiences related to his career (Blues Acess). At age six, he used an old broom as a guitar and started listening to artists such as Louis Jordan, Elmore James, Muddy Waters, and B.B. King. When he was thirteen, he moved to Chicago with his family and managed to form a band which included Freddie King, Luther Johnson, Bobby King, and Luther Allison (Malaco). He also performed in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, with Boyd Gilmore, and Johnny ‘Big Moose’ Walker (Music Finder). From this early beginning he has become one of the best artist ever.
Before releasing many songs he moved to Jackson, Mississippi, in 1983. As a child he was told many times not to move to Jackson, Mississippi. but he ignored his parents and came any way (Blues Access). Throughout his career, he signed with many record companies and released many albums. He released his first hit, Chicken Heads, in 1971 for Galaxy Records. While living in Mississippi he signed with other record companies which include ABC Records, Jewel, Warner Brothers, Philadelphia International, and LaJam Records (Big Book of Blues). He produced many albums while with these companies. Some of the songs on these albums were One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show, She’s A Good Un, and What’s Good For The (Malaco).
It was in 1995 when Rush switched to Malaco’s Waldoxy Label (Malaco). He plans to call this company home. Rush has sung many of his great hits at his blues festivals and concerts. At these concerts and festivals, he has sexy dancers and outrageous stage antics (Big Resorts). These people amaze and hype up the audience. The sexy dancers and stage antics are not the only ones who keeps the crowd hot. Bobby Rush also does a tremendous job dancing singing and playing his harmonica. For being so great on stage, he has received many awards and recognitions, including “Best Live Performer of the Year”, “Best Blues Entertainer of the Year”, and “Best Soul/Blues Albums of the Year. “(Blues Highway). Malaco Records
According to Malaco, Bobby Rush mixed the last five of his ten album release “Hoochie Man” in January. When asked about this release, Bobby Rush says, “I think this is the greatest album that I have released in 25 years. This is going to be the most versatile album full of good-feelin’ songs. ‘Hoochie Man’ is going to showcase another side of Bobby Rush as a writer, song stylist, and producer. The songs on ‘Hoochie Man’ are the greatest songs released since ‘Chicken Heads’ some 30 years ago. Not to say that my other albums are not any good, but I feel that I’ve outdone myself on this one.” (Malaco web site).
Most recently, April, 2000, the Mississippi Senate in Jackson passed a resolution honoring Rush for his musical career. As of now, this outstanding blues artist is still hot today. Many people, young and old, still consider the sixty-six year old Bobby Rush outrageous, entertaining, soulful, and sexy!
Timeline
- 1936- believed Rush was born
- 1940- date some sources give for his birth
- 1953- moved to Chicago and formed a band
- 1971- signed with Galaxy Records and released the song Chicken Heads
- 1973- moved to the Jewel label and recorded four singles
- 1982- signed with LaJam Records
- 1983- moved to Jackson, Mississippi
- 1991- switched to Urgent! Records and records I Ain’t Studdin You
- 1995- switched to Malaco’s Waldoxy label
-named “Best Live Performer” - 1996- received an award for “Best Live Performer”
- 1997- received award for “Best Soul/R&B Live Performer”
– received an award for “Artist of the Year” - 1998- nominated for “Blues Entertainer of the Year”
– nominated for “Soul/Blues Male artist
– received an award for best “Blues Entertainer of the Year” - 1999- nominated for “Best Soul/Blues Male Artist of the Year”
- 2003 – Formed the label ‘Deep Rush’
- 2006 – Inducted into Blues Hall of Fame
- 2017 – Grammy award for Best Traditional Blues Album. Album was ‘Porcupine Meat’
- 2020 – Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Blues Album “Rawer than Raw”
Awards
- 2021 – Blues Music Award nomimations for Album of the Year and Best Acoustic Blues Album
- 2020 – Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Blues Album “Rawer than Raw”
- 2020 – Blues Music Award – Soul Blues Album of the Year for “Sitting on Top of the Blues”
- 2019 – Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Blues Album “Sitting On Top of The Blues”
- 2017 – 2 Blues Music Awards – Album of the Year for “Porcupine Meat”; Historical Album of the Year for “Chicken Heads: A 60-year History of Bobby Rush”
- 2016 – Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album “Porcupine Meat”
- 2015 – 2 Blues Music Awards – Named Soul Blues Male Artist and B.B. Kind Entertainer of the Year
- 2015 – Inducted into the Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame
- 2014 – Grammy nomination for Best Blues Album “Decisions”
- 2013 – Grammy nomination for Best Blues Album “Down in Louisiana”
- 2006 – Inducted into Blues Hall of Fame
- 2000 – Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album “Hoochie Man”
Review of “I Ain’t Studdin’ You”
by Shequetta Gandy (SHS)
I Ain’t Studdin You is the name of one of Rush’s great hits. He recorded this song in 1991 when he signed with Urgent! Records. Rush sings this song to express how he felt when one of his girl friends mistreated him. Throughout this song he said how she lied and cheated in their relationship. This song lets his ex-girl friend know that he doesn’t care about her any more.
Related Websites
Bibliography
- “Bobby Rush”. Online. Available http//www.bayfront blues.com /biography/bobby-.htm. April 6, 1999.
- “Bobby Rush” Online. Available http://www. blues access.com/No-34/rush.html.April 24, 1999.
- “Bobby Rush”. Online. Available http://www.blues festivals.com/handys 97/performances.html. April 24, 1999.
- “The 19th Annual Handy Awards”. Online. Available http://www.the blues highway/com/handy 98.html. April 28, 1999
- “The Blues Foundation”. Online. Available http://www.blues org/bluesnews/handy news/012599.html. April 24, 1999.
- Santelli, Robert “Bobby Rush”. The Big Book of Blues. Penguin Group, 1993. 120.
- “Blues Festivals Archives”. Online. Available html.April 17, 1999
- “Bobby Rush”. Online. Available http://www.Cleveland blues festival.com/brush/html. April 6, 1999.
- “The Blues Foundation.” Online. Available http://www.handyawards.com /nomies/bobbyrush.html. April 24, 1999.
- “Chancery Crusing” Online. Available http://www.holburn born-travel.co.uk/holbs 4. htm. April 24, 1999.
- “Bobby Rush”. Online. Available http://www.icorp. net/song search/dir/rush. bobby.ht,. April 24, 1999.
- “Bobby Rush” Online. Available http://malaco. com/blues/brush/disc. html. April 9 1999.
- “Bobby Rush”. Online Available http:// malaco.com/blues/brush/main. html. April 9, 1999.
- ” Bobby Rush “. Online. Available http://www,musicfinder.yahoo.com./shop? d=rush bobby &cf=1. April 23, 1999.
- “Bobby Rush”. Online Available http:// www.pinelodge.com/ bscene/product.asp? sku-6184. April 24, 1999.
- ” Bobby Rush”. Online. Available http://www. waterfrontbluesfest. com/bob rush .html. April 9, 1999.