For fans of authentic blues music, do we have a treat for you.
Videos by American Songwriter
American Songwriter is happy to premiere a new-to-digital track from multi-Grammy-winning blues legend, Bobby Rush.
For the Jackson, Mississippi-based (he even has a street named after him) 87-year-old Rush, 2022 marks the 50th (well, 51st) anniversary of his 1971 hit song, “Chicken Heads.” And to celebrate the song, Rush invited three blues superstar acts to join him on renditions of the track.
Rush released the songs on 12″ vinyl on Black Friday Record Store Day in 2021 (November 26) but here, American Songwriter is premiering the rendition he put together with another legend in the field, Buddy Guy. (Rush also recorded tracks with Gov’t Mule and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram).
“It means a lot that Buddy loves a record so much that he would do this record for me, and love me so much that he’d do this record,” says Rush of the rooftop-blowing collaboration with Guy. “He asked me how I liked it after he cut it, and that means a lot to me that he wanted to know.
“I want to thank Buddy Guy for all of the talks we’ve had lately. I thank him for his phone calls and great friendship that we have. I think in the future, with the little time we have left in this life, we are going to be doing a lot of things together and I appreciate that.”
Check out Rush and Guy below:
The original “Chicken Heads” has been used on soundtracks for films like Black Snake Moan and television shows like Ballers and The Deuce.
To date, Rush has been inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame, has won two Grammy Awards, and earned six nominations.
Rush also released a new memoir in 2021, I Ain’t Studdin’ Ya, on Hachette Books, which you can see HERE.
See more from the artist via his official website. And check out the original version of the 51-year-old song below.
Photo by Danny Clinch, courtesy of Conqueroo
