Otis Rush, Seminal Chicago Blues Guitarist, Dead at 84 – Rolling Stone



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Otis Rush, one of the pioneering guitarists of the Chicago Blues scene, died Saturday from a stroke that occurred in 2003. He was 84 years old.

Rush's wife, Masaki Rush, confirmed her husband's death on his website. One note said: "Recognized as one of the leading architects of Rush's West Side Sound in Chicago, he embodied the modernist style of urban blues with major touches with his amplified and jazz-influenced guitar playing, his passionate voice and his accompaniment by a section of brass. . The first recording of Rush in 1956 on Cobra Records "I can not leave you baby" has reached Display panel R & B Charts and the catapulted to the international fame. He then recorded a music catalog containing many songs that are now considered blues classics.

Rush became a staple of the Chicago scene in the late '50s and early' 60s, first associating with Cobra Records, which also housed artists such as Magic Sam and Buddy Guy. . Their take on the blues would be a revelation to follow for a generation of artists, while Rush would become a totem for countless rock guitarists (he was placed at the 53rd. Rolling stoneList of the 100 greatest guitarists). Notably, the characteristic style of Rush – long dramatic notes, is in part the product of his unique gaming approach: a left-handed guitarist who plays the guitar backwards, placing the bass string down and the string sharply up.

In 1968, Mike Bloomfield summed up the influence of Rush, saying Rolling stone In Chicago, "the rules had been set" for young white blues bands: "You had to be as good as Otis Rush."

Rush was born in Philadelphia, Mississippi in 1935 and began teaching guitar at the age of eight. He moved to Chicago in 1949 and was inspired by full-time music after seeing Muddy Waters live. In 1956, Rush published his first and most famous single on Cobra, "I Can 't Quit You Baby". Along with his success in the charts, Led Zeppelin covered the cup from their debut in 1969.

During his Cobra years, Rush recorded with a troupe of rotating musicians that included Ike Turner, Big Walter Horton, Little Walter and Little Brother Montgomery. Her production also included such classic pieces as "My Love Will Never Die," "All Your Love (I Miss Loving)" (later covered by John Mayall) and "Double Trouble" (Stevie Ray Vaughn later named her band after this title). .

After the bankruptcy of Cobra, Rush released two singles on Chess before joining Duke Records in the early sixties. But it was not until 1969 that Rush released what was essentially his first album, Morning mourning, which he recorded at the legendary FAME studios with the Muscle Shoals rhythm section.

Rush continued touring and recording during the sixties and seventies, although she still seemed to struggle with label issues. For example, Capitol Records has refused to release its famous LP album Good place, bad timeIt was only in 1976 – five years after its recording – that Bullfrog Records finally put it on the market.

In 1994, Rush released It's not enough, which at the time marked its first record in 16 years. Two years later, his album, Any place where I go earned him the Grammy for best traditional blues album. Although this LP is his last studio effort, Rush has contributed to various tribute albums and has remained a live performer until health issues drive him off the road.

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