Stroger was born on a farm outside of Hayti, Missouri.[5] In 1955, at the age of 16, he relocated with his family to Chicago, Illinois.[6] His family settled on the West Side, in an apartment in back of Silvio's nightclub. Stroger was inspired by the sights and sounds from the club. He was further encouraged to try for a career in music, after being employed driving his brother-in-law to play in a blues band with J. B. Hutto.[6] A self-taught guitarist, he formed a family-based band, the Red Tops (the band members wore black berets with a red circle daubed on top). Willie Kent was drafted to boost their proficiency, and the combo was renamed Joe Russell and the Blues Hustlers (Stroger had adopted the stage name Joe Russell, but the name did not endure).[1] He went on to play jazz with Rufus Forman, but it was his meeting with Eddie King which started his lengthy career playing blues. Having started playing the bass guitar, Stroger played on King's single "Love You Baby" (1965).[6]
He backed King for fifteen years before King relocated, after which Stroger stopped playing for a couple of years.[1] His interest was rekindled when he was recommended to Otis Rush, whom he backed in the late 1970s and 1980s.[7] He toured Europe with Rush and played on two of his albums, Live in Europe and Lost in the Blues.[6][8]
Stroger next was a session musician for a while. He worked with Sunnyland Slim[6] and Mississippi Heat in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He then joined Odie Payne in the regular rhythm section for the series of American Blues Folk Festivals.[1] Encouraged by Sunnyland Slim, Stroger began singing and writing his own material.[7] In 1996, Stroger played on Mark Hummel's album, Heart of Chicago.[9] In 1997, he played bass on Golden "Big" Wheeler's album Jump In.[10] The following year, he played with a group of musicians at the Lucerne Blues Festival in Switzerland. This led to the recording of his debut solo album, In the House: Live at Lucerne, Vol. 1, on which he was accompanied by Ken Saydak and Billy Flynn.[11]
In 2007, Stroger recorded Bob Is Back in Town in Chicago, backed by Steve Freund (guitar), Willie "Big Eyes" Smith (harmonica), Deitra Farr (backing vocals), and Juli Wood (baritone saxophone).[7] The same year he backed Carey Bell on his final recorded work, Gettin' Up: Live at Buddy Guy's Legends, Rosa's and Lurrie's Home (Delmark).[12] He also played on Willie "Big Eyes" Smith's albums Born in Arkansas (2008) and Joined at the Hip (with Pinetop Perkins, 2010).[13]
In 2011, the Blues Foundation presented Stroger with a Blues Music Award in the category Best Blues Bassist.[14] He was nominated in the same category in 2013.[15] He won the Best Bassist Award again in 2013.
^Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues: A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara, California: Praeger. p. 207. ISBN978-0313344237.
^. Twicsy.com. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
^"Bob Stroger". Discogs.com. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
^. Corbydesigns.com. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
^ abcdeHanson, Karen (2007). Today's Chicago Blues. Chicago: Lake Claremont Press. pp. 196–198. ISBN978-1-893121-19-5.
^ abc"Bob Is Back in Town". Airwayrecords.com. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
^"Otis Rush, Lost in the Blues: Credits". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
^"Mark Hummel, Heart of Chicago: Credits". AllMusic.com. 14 January 1997. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
^"Big Wheeler, Jump In: Credits". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
^"Bob Stroger & His Chicago Blues Legends Feat. the Ken Saydak Trio, In the House: Live at Lucerne, vol. 1". Crosscut.de. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
^"Carey Bell, Gettin' Up: Live at Buddy Guy's Legends Rosa's: Credits". AllMusiccom. 17 April 2007. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
^"Pinetop Perkins, Willie 'Big Eyes' Smith, Joined at the Hip: Credits". AllMusic.com. 8 June 2010. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
^"Blues Music Awards 2011: A Delta Bohemian Perspective". Deltabohemian.com. 26 May 2011. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
^"Blues Music Awards Nominees, 2013, 34th Blues Music Awards". Blues.org. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
^"Sven Zetterberg, Sunnyland Slim, Tor Einar Jacobsen, Knut Reiersrud, Hungry John, Bob Stroger, Kristin Berglund, S.P. Leary, Zora Young – Bluesmeeting In Chicago (Vinyl, LP, Album) at Discogs". Discogs.com. 1983. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
Bob Stroger Interview NAMM Oral History Library (2017)
April 17, 2024
stroger, born, december, 1930, american, electric, blues, bass, guitarist, singer, songwriter, worked, with, many, blues, musicians, including, eddie, king, otis, rush, jimmy, rogers, eddie, taylor, eddy, clearwater, sunnyland, slim, louisiana, buster, benton,. Bob Stroger born December 27 1930 2 3 4 is an American electric blues bass guitarist singer and songwriter He has worked with many blues musicians including Eddie King Otis Rush Jimmy Rogers Eddie Taylor Eddy Clearwater Sunnyland Slim Louisiana Red Buster Benton Homesick James Mississippi Heat Snooky Pryor Odie Payne Fred Below Willie Big Eyes Smith and Billy Davenport 1 Bob StrogerBorn 1930 12 27 December 27 1930 age 93 Hayti Missouri United StatesGenresBlues 1 Occupation s Guitarist singer songwriterInstrument s Bass guitarYears active1960s presentWebsitecorbydesigns wbr com wbr bobstroger wbr home wbr htm In 2011 and 2013 Stroger was granted a Blues Music Award as Best Blues Bassist Contents 1 Life and career 2 Discography 2 1 Solo albums 2 2 Collaboration albums 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksLife and career editStroger was born on a farm outside of Hayti Missouri 5 In 1955 at the age of 16 he relocated with his family to Chicago Illinois 6 His family settled on the West Side in an apartment in back of Silvio s nightclub Stroger was inspired by the sights and sounds from the club He was further encouraged to try for a career in music after being employed driving his brother in law to play in a blues band with J B Hutto 6 A self taught guitarist he formed a family based band the Red Tops the band members wore black berets with a red circle daubed on top Willie Kent was drafted to boost their proficiency and the combo was renamed Joe Russell and the Blues Hustlers Stroger had adopted the stage name Joe Russell but the name did not endure 1 He went on to play jazz with Rufus Forman but it was his meeting with Eddie King which started his lengthy career playing blues Having started playing the bass guitar Stroger played on King s single Love You Baby 1965 6 He backed King for fifteen years before King relocated after which Stroger stopped playing for a couple of years 1 His interest was rekindled when he was recommended to Otis Rush whom he backed in the late 1970s and 1980s 7 He toured Europe with Rush and played on two of his albums Live in Europe and Lost in the Blues 6 8 Stroger next was a session musician for a while He worked with Sunnyland Slim 6 and Mississippi Heat in the late 1980s and early 1990s He then joined Odie Payne in the regular rhythm section for the series of American Blues Folk Festivals 1 Encouraged by Sunnyland Slim Stroger began singing and writing his own material 7 In 1996 Stroger played on Mark Hummel s album Heart of Chicago 9 In 1997 he played bass on Golden Big Wheeler s album Jump In 10 The following year he played with a group of musicians at the Lucerne Blues Festival in Switzerland This led to the recording of his debut solo album In the House Live at Lucerne Vol 1 on which he was accompanied by Ken Saydak and Billy Flynn 11 In 2007 Stroger recorded Bob Is Back in Town in Chicago backed by Steve Freund guitar Willie Big Eyes Smith harmonica Deitra Farr backing vocals and Juli Wood baritone saxophone 7 The same year he backed Carey Bell on his final recorded work Gettin Up Live at Buddy Guy s Legends Rosa s and Lurrie s Home Delmark 12 He also played on Willie Big Eyes Smith s albums Born in Arkansas 2008 and Joined at the Hip with Pinetop Perkins 2010 13 In 2011 the Blues Foundation presented Stroger with a Blues Music Award in the category Best Blues Bassist 14 He was nominated in the same category in 2013 15 He won the Best Bassist Award again in 2013 Discography editSolo albums edit Year Title Record label2002 In the House Live at Lucerne vol 1 Crosscut Records Germany 2007 Bob Is Back in Town Airway Records2022 That s My Name Delmark Records 1 Collaboration albums edit Year Title Record label1983 Blues Meeting in Chicago Strawberry Records 16 See also editList of Chicago blues musicians List of electric blues musiciansReferences edit a b c d e f Chadbourne Eugene Bob Stroger Biography Credits Discography AllMusic com Retrieved 7 March 2013 Eagle Bob LeBlanc Eric S 2013 Blues A Regional Experience Santa Barbara California Praeger p 207 ISBN 978 0313344237 Bluesharpdog December 27 1930 Bob Stroger Was Born in Haity MO Twicsy com Archived from the original on 29 November 2014 Retrieved 20 November 2014 Bob Stroger Discogs com Retrieved 20 November 2014 Bob Stroger Website Corbydesigns com Archived from the original on 29 November 2014 Retrieved 7 March 2013 a b c d e Hanson Karen 2007 Today s Chicago Blues Chicago Lake Claremont Press pp 196 198 ISBN 978 1 893121 19 5 a b c Bob Is Back in Town Airwayrecords com Retrieved 7 March 2013 Otis Rush Lost in the Blues Credits AllMusic com Retrieved 7 March 2013 Mark Hummel Heart of Chicago Credits AllMusic com 14 January 1997 Retrieved 7 March 2013 Big Wheeler Jump In Credits AllMusic com Retrieved 7 March 2013 Bob Stroger amp His Chicago Blues Legends Feat the Ken Saydak Trio In the House Live at Lucerne vol 1 Crosscut de Retrieved 7 March 2013 Carey Bell Gettin Up Live at Buddy Guy s Legends Rosa s Credits AllMusiccom 17 April 2007 Retrieved 7 March 2013 Pinetop Perkins Willie Big Eyes Smith Joined at the Hip Credits AllMusic com 8 June 2010 Retrieved 7 March 2013 Blues Music Awards 2011 A Delta Bohemian Perspective Deltabohemian com 26 May 2011 Retrieved 7 March 2013 Blues Music Awards Nominees 2013 34th Blues Music Awards Blues org Retrieved 7 March 2013 Sven Zetterberg Sunnyland Slim Tor Einar Jacobsen Knut Reiersrud Hungry John Bob Stroger Kristin Berglund S P Leary Zora Young Bluesmeeting In Chicago Vinyl LP Album at Discogs Discogs com 1983 Retrieved 7 March 2013 External links editOfficial website Bob Stroger at AllMusic Bob Stroger at IMDb Stroger discography Stroger photographs Bob Stroger Interview NAMM Oral History Library 2017 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bob Stroger amp oldid 1210551546, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
