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" This year the Governors Award (the highest award that can be presented by a NARAS chapter) and a special tribute spotlighting his lifetime achievements will be presented to Bland. "
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Staff Report
Memphis' own Bobby 'Blue' Bland will received the Governors Award for lifetime achievement at the 11th Annual Premier Player Awards in April. The awards will be presented Wednesday, April 10, at the New Daisy Theatre on Beale Street. Thirteen individual awards will be presented to the premier performers, songwriter, engineer, producer, and band of 1995 as voted on by the Memphis chapter of the National Recording Arts and Sciences. The specific awards will be given for guitar, bass, drums, woodwinds, strings, brass, keyboards, female vocalist, male vocalist, songwriter, producer, engineer, and band. This year the Governors Award (the highest award that can be presented by a NARAS chapter) and a special tribute spotlighting his lifetime achievements will be presented to Bland. He will be attending the awards ceremony. A special invitation and commemo rative poster will be created by Ronnie Stoots and Fred Toma as well as a limited edition illustration by Ellis Chappell. Bland, who was born in 1930, began singing in Memphis churches as a youth. He worked as B.B. King's chauffeur and assistant for several years. His first recordings were made in 1951 with such people as Ike Turner, Johnny Ace and Junior Parker. Through his work with Parker, Bland landed a recording contract with Duke Records. He recorded several records for Duke between 1952 and '72. Bland's popularity rose throughout that period with such Top 40 hits as "Cry, Cry, Cry," "Hold Me Tenderly" and "Pity the Fool." After 1972 though, Duke was taken over by ABC and Bland's career moved from blues to pop. His best work of that time came with B.B. King on two records for MCA. Bland was inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. He now records for Malaco Records and returned to the forefront of blues artists working today. Past winners of the Governors Award from the Memphis chapter include the Neville Brothers, Isaac Hayes, Rufus Thomas, Al Green, the Memphis Horns, ZZ Top, B.B. King and Stevie Ray Vaughan. The Memphis chapter of NARAS extends from Memphis to New Orleans. The Premier Player Awards event will start with a Nominees Reception at 6 p.m. at Willie Mitchell's Rhythm & Blues Club (next door to the New Daisy). The awards show will begin at 7:30 p.m. and feature live performances by some of this year's nominees and award presentations by some of Memphis' most celebrated personalities. For more information, call the NARAS office at 525-1340.
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