Barbecue Bob
Barbecue Bob (actually Robert Hicks ; born September 11, 1902 in Walnut Grove , Georgia ; † October 21, 1931 in Lithonia , Georgia) was an American blues pioneer and one of the leading exponents of the so-called Atlanta Blues .
Life
Barbecue Bob learned to play the guitar from his brother Charley Hicks, who was also a well-known blues guitarist as Laughing Charley Lincoln . The two brothers moved to Atlanta in 1923 , where they often performed together, and here Robert switched to the twelve-string guitar. Hicks often used the bottleneck game . His blues style was more reminiscent of the Delta Blues than the guitar style of Blind Willie McTell , who probably also belonged to Barbecue Bob's environment in Georgia.
He got his nickname in 1927 when he was discovered by a talent scout from Columbia Records as a street musician in front of a barbecue restaurant. Accordingly, an advertising photo showed him in a kitchen uniform with a guitar. During his short career between 1927 and 1930 he recorded a comparatively extensive work with 68 pieces, three of the pieces are still missing. For his brother and his childhood friend Curley Weaver , he arranged the first recording opportunities. With Curley Weaver and Buddy Moss , whom he taught the first guitar fingerings, he recorded in 1930 as Georgia Cotton Pickers . In 1931 he died of tuberculosis associated with pneumonia .
Others
- The band My Bubba & Mi released the single BBQ Bob in 2011 .
Web links
- Biography on East Coast Piedmont Blues (English)
- Barbecue Bob page on Blues Online
Individual evidence
- ↑ Barbecue Bob on Find a Grave
- ↑ My Bubba website ohmybubba.com
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Barbecue Bob |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Hicks, Robert (real name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American blues pioneer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | September 11, 1902 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Walnut Grove , Georgia |
| DATE OF DEATH | October 21, 1931 |
| Place of death | Lithonia , Georgia |