Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland at BB Kings

Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland was one of the main creators of the modern soul-blues sound. Along with such artists as Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, and Junior Parker, Bland developed a sound that mixed gospel with blues and R&B. Bobby’s style of soul-blues was punctuated with a big-band sound and slick, B.B.King-flavored guitar riffs. Bland’s #1 hits included “I Pity the Fool,” “That’s the Way Love Is,” and “Two Steps from the Blues.” Bland was inducted into the Blues Foundation’s Hall of Fame in 1981 and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.