And this is just what he will be doing on Tuesday, June 17th at 7:30pm, choosing Evanston's own Harbert Park for his destination as part of the Starlight summer concert series. Bob Stroger is a Chicago blues legend who moved from Missouri to Chicago in 1955 to live in the back of a nightclub on the windy city's west side. He fell in love with the music-- like that of Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters-- and with its effect on the people. 39 years later his guitar hasn't left his hands.
In 2000, Stroger admitted, "My love is the blues. I play other music, but I FEEL blues. It's a spiritual thing. It's something you get into and you feel the movement." When first coming to Chi-town, this Missouri farmboy followed around his brother-in-law Johnny Ferguson who played in the blues group Twisters with legend J.B. Hutto. He soon became their driver, taking them frequently to a joint at 39th and State and at night performing his own gig at the back of the club-- teaching himself how to play the guitar. Soon after he joined with his brother, drummer John Stroger, and Ralph Ramey to form the "Red Tops" (after the red tam hats they painted red and wore as uniforms for their first show).
Innovation is the name... blues/ jazz/ R&B is the game. After quick popularity and a few years of hitting up various venues around town, the band appropriately changed their name to the "Blues Hustlers." Upon the band's breakup, Stroger continued to share his raging talent with those Chicagoans and fellow blues talents who could keep up. One such collaboration that lasted more than 15 years was with Eddie King, playing bass for Eddie King and the King's Men. It goes on; after he was enlisted by Morris Pejo to play backup to great guitarist Otis Rush and has done freelance work with pianist Sunnyland Slim and Mississippi Heat.
His recordings can compete with his gig history. Stroger's discography has been said to "resemble a stuffed New York deli sandwich," filled with compilations featuring the mind-blowing Eddie King, Rush, Jimmy Rogers, Eddie Taylor, Eddie Clearwater, Louisiana Red, Buster Benton, Homesick james, and Snooky Pryor, among others.
However, among all of these BIG names Bob Stroger's shows reflect the reason why he took up plucking strings in the first place: "It looked like they were having a lot of fun and I made up my mind that what I wanted to do was play music."
In 2000, Stroger admitted, "My love is the blues. I play other music, but I FEEL blues. It's a spiritual thing. It's something you get into and you feel the movement." When first coming to Chi-town, this Missouri farmboy followed around his brother-in-law Johnny Ferguson who played in the blues group Twisters with legend J.B. Hutto. He soon became their driver, taking them frequently to a joint at 39th and State and at night performing his own gig at the back of the club-- teaching himself how to play the guitar. Soon after he joined with his brother, drummer John Stroger, and Ralph Ramey to form the "Red Tops" (after the red tam hats they painted red and wore as uniforms for their first show).
Innovation is the name... blues/ jazz/ R&B is the game. After quick popularity and a few years of hitting up various venues around town, the band appropriately changed their name to the "Blues Hustlers." Upon the band's breakup, Stroger continued to share his raging talent with those Chicagoans and fellow blues talents who could keep up. One such collaboration that lasted more than 15 years was with Eddie King, playing bass for Eddie King and the King's Men. It goes on; after he was enlisted by Morris Pejo to play backup to great guitarist Otis Rush and has done freelance work with pianist Sunnyland Slim and Mississippi Heat.
His recordings can compete with his gig history. Stroger's discography has been said to "resemble a stuffed New York deli sandwich," filled with compilations featuring the mind-blowing Eddie King, Rush, Jimmy Rogers, Eddie Taylor, Eddie Clearwater, Louisiana Red, Buster Benton, Homesick james, and Snooky Pryor, among others.
However, among all of these BIG names Bob Stroger's shows reflect the reason why he took up plucking strings in the first place: "It looked like they were having a lot of fun and I made up my mind that what I wanted to do was play music."
Be at Harbert Park June 17th to witness Chicago's Bass Man move crowds, and listen to samples of his work here:
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