Bobby Rush Papers

Bobby Rush (born Emmett Ellis Jr., November 10, 1933, Homer, Louisiana) is an American blues musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He was raised in a musical household (his father was a pastor and musician) and began performing at a young age, initially playing homemade instruments. In the late 1940s, his family relocated to Pine Bluff, Arkansas, where he became involved in the local music scene and performed with musicians including Elmore James, Boyd Gilmore, and Johnny “Big Moose” Walker. In 1953, Rush moved to Chicago, Illinois, where he established himself within the city’s vibrant blues community, working with artists such as Little Walter, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed, and Howlin’ Wolf.

Rush achieved national recognition with his 1971 hit “Chicken Heads,” which became a gold-certified record and marked a turning point in his career. He continued to record and perform extensively, releasing albums on labels including Philadelphia International, Malaco, and his own Deep Rush imprint, and earning multiple Blues Music Awards. Over the course of his career, he has toured widely in the United States and internationally, performed at major venues and events, and appeared in documentary films such as "The Road to Memphis" (2003) and "I Am the Blues" (2015). In 2017, at age 83, he won his first Grammy Award for Porcupine Meat. Rush has been inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame, Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame, and Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame.