Bobby "Blue" Bland (also known as
Bobby Bland) (born Robert Calvin Bland, 27 January 1930, in Rosemark, Tennessee) is an African-American singer, and was an original member of The Beale Streeters. He released a couple of unsuccessful singles for Chess Records in 1951, and Modern Records in 1952. That year, Bland entered the Army and returned to music upon his discharge in 1955. His first successful single was "It's My Life Baby", showcasing a new, more mature sound. He was signed to the Duke Records label in 1956.