Bobby Rush
Bobby Rush (born Emmet Ellis, Jr. on November 10, 1933) is an American blue… Read Full Bio ↴Bobby Rush (born Emmet Ellis, Jr. on November 10, 1933) is an American blues musician, composer and singer. His style incorporates elements of blues, rap and funk.
At a time when most of his contemporaries are resting on their laurels, Rush continues to be one of the most exciting and creative artists in the R&B/blues arena. Rush's live shows are without parallel, replete with costume changes and comedic sketches acted out with the assistance of his lovely female dancers. In addressing a broad range of matters of the heart, Rush adopts various onstage persona-the adoring lover, the cuckold, the boastful stud-delivering all with a knowing wink that assures the audience that he's in on the joke.
In the context of today's all too predictable and sanitized blues market, it's easy to understand why audiences new to Rush's performances often find them novel or even bewildering. Unique they are, but Rush's signifying, jesting, and double entendré jiving are at the heart of the blues, as exemplified by forbears such as Charley Patton, Memphis Minnie, Louis Jordan, and Howlin' Wolf.
Bobby Rush-it's pronounced as one three-syllable name-calls his music "folk funk," an apt description for a blend that's both decidedly modern and deeply rooted in tradition. Over the decades he has consistently updated his show by incorporating new styles-jump blues, Chicago style deep blues, soul, funk, and even hip-hop-into a fresh mix. At the same time, his original compositions often stem from his dipping into the well of folk wisdom, as exemplified by songs like "What's Good For the Goose is Good for the Gander Too."
The son of a preacher man, Bobby Rush was born Emmet Ellis, Jr., in the north Louisiana town of Homer; he later adopted his stage name out of respect for his father. He built his first instrument, a primitive guitar or "diddley bow," and in his early teens he was donning a fake mustache and appearing at local juke joints as a solo artist. In the mid-'50s he moved up to Chicago, where his bands included Freddie King, Earl Hooker, and Luther Allison, while on jaunts back to his family home in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, he performed with Elmore James and James' cousin Boyd Gilmore.
Rush began working as a bandleader already as a teenager after realizing that he could control his own destiny if he owned all the equipment. His entrepreneurial flair is legendary among fellow musicians, who fondly recall his working in disguise as the emcee on his own gigs, earning double pay from an unknowing club owner, and his shuffling between three gigs a night with separate bands at West Side nightclubs.
Rush's popularity as a live performer in Chicago set back the development of his recording career, but he began to achieve national acclaim in 1971 following the success of his hit "Chicken Heads" on Galaxy records. Over the next decade he recorded for labels including Jewel, Philadelphia International, Warner Brothers, and toured widely on the "chitlin circuit," the decades old network of clubs that stretches in a rough triangle between east Texas, north Florida, and Chicago.
In the early '80s Rush moved from Chicago to his current home of Jackson, Mississippi, where he recorded a series of albums for the LeJam, Ichiban, and Malaco labels, and gained the title of "king of the chitlin circuit" in the wake of hits including "Sue," "Wearin' It Out," "Ain't Studdin' You," and "Hoochie Man."
In 2003 Rush fulfilled his longtime dream of forming his own label, Deep Rush, recording the CD "Undercover Lover" and capturing the magic of his live show on DVD at the club Ground Zero in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Rush's showmanship is also prominently featured in Richard Pearce's documentary film "The Road To Memphis," broadcast on PBS in September 2003 as part of Martin Scorsese's film series "The Blues."
In the last decade Rush has gained new audiences through performances at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, and on festival stages in Europe and Japan. But catch him on an average weekend and he's just as likely to be playing to packed houses in chitlin circuit clubs in places like Nesbit, Mississippi, Macon, Georgia, and Smackover, Arkansas, before mostly black, working class audiences that conventional blues wisdom suggests no longer exist.
Success in the American music marketplace generally entails leaving behind the people that sustained you during your early years, but that's not a price Bobby Rush is willing to pay. As his career takes off in new directions, he's determined to keep it real, presenting the same unadulterated show as he moves from Tokyo to Smackover. Or as he explains in what has become somewhat a mantra of late, "I want to cross over, not cross out."
--Scott Barretta
At a time when most of his contemporaries are resting on their laurels, Rush continues to be one of the most exciting and creative artists in the R&B/blues arena. Rush's live shows are without parallel, replete with costume changes and comedic sketches acted out with the assistance of his lovely female dancers. In addressing a broad range of matters of the heart, Rush adopts various onstage persona-the adoring lover, the cuckold, the boastful stud-delivering all with a knowing wink that assures the audience that he's in on the joke.
In the context of today's all too predictable and sanitized blues market, it's easy to understand why audiences new to Rush's performances often find them novel or even bewildering. Unique they are, but Rush's signifying, jesting, and double entendré jiving are at the heart of the blues, as exemplified by forbears such as Charley Patton, Memphis Minnie, Louis Jordan, and Howlin' Wolf.
Bobby Rush-it's pronounced as one three-syllable name-calls his music "folk funk," an apt description for a blend that's both decidedly modern and deeply rooted in tradition. Over the decades he has consistently updated his show by incorporating new styles-jump blues, Chicago style deep blues, soul, funk, and even hip-hop-into a fresh mix. At the same time, his original compositions often stem from his dipping into the well of folk wisdom, as exemplified by songs like "What's Good For the Goose is Good for the Gander Too."
The son of a preacher man, Bobby Rush was born Emmet Ellis, Jr., in the north Louisiana town of Homer; he later adopted his stage name out of respect for his father. He built his first instrument, a primitive guitar or "diddley bow," and in his early teens he was donning a fake mustache and appearing at local juke joints as a solo artist. In the mid-'50s he moved up to Chicago, where his bands included Freddie King, Earl Hooker, and Luther Allison, while on jaunts back to his family home in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, he performed with Elmore James and James' cousin Boyd Gilmore.
Rush began working as a bandleader already as a teenager after realizing that he could control his own destiny if he owned all the equipment. His entrepreneurial flair is legendary among fellow musicians, who fondly recall his working in disguise as the emcee on his own gigs, earning double pay from an unknowing club owner, and his shuffling between three gigs a night with separate bands at West Side nightclubs.
Rush's popularity as a live performer in Chicago set back the development of his recording career, but he began to achieve national acclaim in 1971 following the success of his hit "Chicken Heads" on Galaxy records. Over the next decade he recorded for labels including Jewel, Philadelphia International, Warner Brothers, and toured widely on the "chitlin circuit," the decades old network of clubs that stretches in a rough triangle between east Texas, north Florida, and Chicago.
In the early '80s Rush moved from Chicago to his current home of Jackson, Mississippi, where he recorded a series of albums for the LeJam, Ichiban, and Malaco labels, and gained the title of "king of the chitlin circuit" in the wake of hits including "Sue," "Wearin' It Out," "Ain't Studdin' You," and "Hoochie Man."
In 2003 Rush fulfilled his longtime dream of forming his own label, Deep Rush, recording the CD "Undercover Lover" and capturing the magic of his live show on DVD at the club Ground Zero in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Rush's showmanship is also prominently featured in Richard Pearce's documentary film "The Road To Memphis," broadcast on PBS in September 2003 as part of Martin Scorsese's film series "The Blues."
In the last decade Rush has gained new audiences through performances at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, and on festival stages in Europe and Japan. But catch him on an average weekend and he's just as likely to be playing to packed houses in chitlin circuit clubs in places like Nesbit, Mississippi, Macon, Georgia, and Smackover, Arkansas, before mostly black, working class audiences that conventional blues wisdom suggests no longer exist.
Success in the American music marketplace generally entails leaving behind the people that sustained you during your early years, but that's not a price Bobby Rush is willing to pay. As his career takes off in new directions, he's determined to keep it real, presenting the same unadulterated show as he moves from Tokyo to Smackover. Or as he explains in what has become somewhat a mantra of late, "I want to cross over, not cross out."
--Scott Barretta
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Bobby Rush Lyrics
Bobby Rush Shuffle My name is Bobby Rush I want You to know I sing…
Bowlegged Woman Ain't nothin in the world, like a bowlegged girl, When she…
Chicken Heads Well there was me and Bobby and Bobby's brother Please take…
Cut Me In I'm broke and hungry Lord my heart been broken too Well I'm…
Do The Do Out of all the women in this world. God made you (you…
Don't Start Me Talkin' Goin' down to Rosie's Stop at Fannie Mae's Tell her what I…
Down In Louisiana Been down in Mississippi and I sho' had a wonderful…
Dust My Broom I'm gon' get up in the morning I believe I dust…
Feeling Good Ok I'm cool Ok Ok, I got it I'm feeling good I'm feeling go…
Feeling Good - Part One Awakened by the morning sun The new day have just begun Thro…
Garbage Man Have you ever been mistreated? By someone you shouldn't have…
Get out of Here In a little shack down by the bay Not far from…
Good Stuff Your hot like red pepper Sweet like cherry wine Girl you loo…
Hard Times Hard times heal yo Wherever you go It's hard enough that it…
Help Me You got to help me baby I can't do it all…
Hey hey Bobby Rush My name is Bobby Rush I want You to know I sing…
Honey Bee Sail On Sail on Sail on, little girl, little girl, sail on Woah sai…
I Ain't the One Ok I'm cool Ok Ok, I got it I'm feeling good I'm feeling go…
I Can't Get Enough [Verse 1] It's the kinda thing i can't explain Maybe i'm l…
I Don’t Want Nobody Hanging Around I don't want nobody, Nobody hanging around my house whe…
I Like It I can't stand it Woah, Looking at your picture since you bee…
I Wanna Do The Do Out of all the women in this world. God made you (you…
I'm Free We come a long way, but I got a long…
Intermission Curtains open up to see spotlight shines on you and me…
Let Me in Your House I'm broke and hungry Lord my heart been broken too Well I'm…
Let's Make Love Again Woke up baby Wake up babe Mama Turn your light down low I s…
Nickname You see Everybody in the world got a nickname You may not…
One Monkey Don't Stop No Show Don't stop Keep it moving Get it up Get it going Get your ha…
One Monkey Dont Stop No Show I was laying down one night I was listening to…
Pooky Poo You know, everybody always ask me. They say, Bobby Rush,…
Recipe for Love You know the recipe for love What it don't ever ever…
River's Invitation I've been 'cross the country And I've been in every town Try…
Shake It for Me Well shake it baby Shake it one time for me Well shake…
Shake Til' You Get Enough You shake shakey here You shake shakey there You shake shake…
Slow Motion Come here baby, lay your sexy body down here next…
Smokestack lightning Woah the train I ride The engine shine like gold Woah train…
Sometimes I Wonder Sometimes I wonder What gon happen to me when I get…
Sweet Lizzy Sweet lizzy, your love got me dizzy Hey sweet lizzy, your…
You Got The Goods On You First time I saw you in your skin tights Look so…