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BOBBY BLAND - DUKE - GETTING USED TO THE BLUES - LISTEN

	Written by Malone. Play grade is VG+. Flip is That Did It by Woods, VG. Produced by Woods and Scott. Bobby Bland earned his enduring blues superstar status the hard way: without a guitar, harmonica, or any other instrument to fall back upon. All Bland had to offer was his magnificent voice, a tremendously powerful instrument in his early heyday, injected with charisma and melisma to spare. Just ask his legion of female fans, who deemed him a sex symbol late into his career. For all his promise, Bland's musical career ignited slowly. He was a founding member of the Beale Streeters, the fabled Memphis aggregation that also included B.B. King and Johnny Ace. Singles for Chess in 1951 (produced by Sam Phillips) and Modern the next year bombed, but that didn't stop local DJ David Mattis from cutting Bland on a couple of 1952 singles for his fledgling Duke logo. Bland's tormented crying style was still pretty rough around the edges before he entered the Army in late 1952. But his progress upon his 1955 return was remarkable; with saxist Bill Harvey's band (featuring guitarist Roy Gaines and trumpeter Joe Scott) providing sizzling support, Bland's assured vocal on the swaggering "It's My Life Baby" sounds like the work of a new man. By now, Duke was headed by hard-boiled Houston entrepreneur Don Robey, who provided top-flight bands for his artists. Scott soon became Bland's mentor, patiently teaching him the intricacies of phrasing when singing sophisticated fare (by 1962, Bland was credibly crooning "Blue Moon," a long way from Beale Street). Most of Bland's savage Texas blues sides during the mid- to late '50s featured the slashing guitar of Clarence Hollimon, notably "I Smell Trouble," "I Don't Believe," "Don't Want No Woman," "You Got Me (Where You Want Me)," and the torrid "Loan a Helping Hand" and "Teach Me (How to Love You)." But the insistent guitar riffs guiding Bland's first national hit, 1957's driving "Farther Up the Road," were contributed by Pat Hare, another vicious picker who would eventually die in prison after murdering his girlfriend and a cop. Later, Wayne Bennett took over on guitar, his elegant fretwork prominent on Bland's Duke waxings throughout much of the '60s. The gospel underpinnings inherent to Bland's powerhouse delivery were never more apparent than on the 1958 outing "Little Boy Blue," a vocal tour de force that wrings every ounce of emotion out of the grinding ballad. Scott steered his charge into smoother material as the decade turned: the seminal mixtures of blues, R&B, and primordial soul on "I Pity the Fool," the Brook Benton-penned "I'll Take Care of You," and "Two Steps From the Blues" were tremendously influential to a legion of up-and-coming Southern soulsters. Scott's blazing brass arrangements upped the excitement ante on Bland's frantic rockers "Turn on Your Love Light" in 1961 and "Yield Not to Temptation" the next year. But the vocalist was learning his lessons so well that he sounded just as conversant on soulful R&B rhumbas (1963's "Call on Me") and polished ballads ("That's the Way Love Is," "Share Your Love With Me") as with an after-hours blues revival of T-Bone Walker's "Stormy Monday Blues" that proved a most unlikely pop hit for him in 1962. With "Ain't Nothing You Can Do," "Ain't Doing Too Bad," and "Poverty," Bland rolled through the mid-'60s, his superstar status diminishing not a whit. In 1973, Robey sold his labels to ABC Records, and Bland was part of the deal. Without Scott and his familiar surroundings to lean on, Bland's releases grew less consistent artistically, though His California Album in 1973 and Dreamer the next year boasted some nice moments (there was even an album's worth of country standards). The singer re-teamed with his old pal B.B. King for a couple of mid-'70s albums that broke no new ground but further heightened Bland's profile, while his solo work for MCA teetered closer and closer to MOR (Bland has often expressed his admiration for ultra-mellow pop singer Perry Como). Since the mid-'80s, Bland has recorded for Jackson, MS's Malaco Records. His pipes undeniably reflect the ravages of time, and those phlegm-flecked "snorts" he habitually emits become annoying in large doses. But Bobby "Blue" Bland endures as a blues superstar of the loftiest order, resurfacing in 1998 with Memphis Monday Morning.   I'm on the road quite a bit, so I'm in no great hurry for payment. I would appreciate a confirming email with your intentions, or if you need more time to pay. I'm very easy to get along with. Postal administrations in several international countries have contacted the United States Postal Service about the declaration of value placed on customs forms. They have noted that in many cases, the declared value is understated when compared to the actual invoice or known value of the item, especially for sales conducted over the internet. While this applies to sellers both on and off eBay, the USPS has asked us to remind our sellers to declare the proper value on all customs forms. The correct value of each item is required on customs forms as it helps determine the proper duties and taxes, and whether they should be applied. Some countries will soon begin taking steps to address this issue, such as levying fines on the addressee when the declared value is determined to be lower than the invoice. To make sure you're complying with international regulations, please make sure the stated value on your customs declaration is supported by your invoices or other documentation. Due to some recent sales, shipping insurance is mandatory to Italy & Belgium. All other countries will have the insurance option as required, but I will send an invoice where the option is optional.   Beginning in October, 2008, in order to be in compliance with a new Ebay rule, I will be able to list only Paypal as a viable payment option. If this is offensive to you, as the buyer, please let Ebay know how you feel. ?International Buyers ? Please Note: Import duties, taxes and charges are not included in the item price or shipping charges. These charges are the buyer?s responsibility. Please check with your country?s customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to bidding/buying.?   I ship in standard 45, LP & 78 mailers made specifically for this purpose. I can ship 4 45's in one box. If you purchase more, I have a larger box, and the postage will be slightly higher. I won't "screw you" on the postage as some do. If I ever over-charge, I will make it right with a Paypal refund. I will leave positive feedback as soon as payment is received and I am home. I would greatly appreciate the same courtesy if you feel my efforts meet with you satisfaction. Please email before taking any negative or neutral actions, and I am sure we can come to a mutual understanding. This is mainly for non-US buyers. Please wait for the invoice before paying, especially if you don't want to add the insurance cost. Ebay doesn't let me pick which countries I require insurance for, therefore, I must use a generic template for all countries. If you wait, I will give you the option of not buying insurance if you are not in a country that I do require insurance for. I travel the country driving my truck. I'm always finding new records, so check back whenever you can. Here's a little breakdown on how I grade the records. It's based on the Goldmine standard, just tweaked a little bit. I get so tired of going to sites that describe the record as M-, and you listen to the clip and it has pops and crackles. I guess by their reasoning, everything below Mint is M-. Except for sealed albums and extraordinarily pristine singles, the highest grade I'll use is EX. VG+ is the next grade. These records may have a pop or two, or some very light distortion in soft passages. VG will have more of the same, only it will be a lot more noticeable. VG- will verge on becoming distracting from the music, but will play with no skips. Lower grades will only be put up for sale in the case of rare records. I can make an MP3 of the record and email it to you for $1.00 extra. I can also burn it in .wav format on a CD for $2.50 extra and send it along with the record. Just let me know before check-out and I'll adjust the invoice. If you need to personally contact me, just email me and I will forward my phone number to you.

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