Bobby Rush has been making records for nearly 70 years and has more than 400 recordings, 75 career releases, and now 27 studio albums to his name. He’s finally told his story in his autobiography I Ain’t Studdin’ Ya: My American Blues Story.
He’s a two-time Grammy-winning legend, a Blues Hall of Famer, and a 14-time Blues Music Award winner who also had a cameo in the 2019 film Dolemite is My Name starring Eddie Murphy,
In 1971, Bobby Rush released the single Chicken Heads on Galaxy Records, and in the subsequent months, it inched up the Billboard R&B chart, marking his first career hit. Its laid-back, rhythm guitar-driven style stood in stark contrast to the sounds of the Dramatics, the Spinners, and Jerry Butler — all of whom were mainstays of soul radio at that time.
On Nov. 26, 2021, Rush celebrated the song’s 50th anniversary with new duet versions featuring blues giant Buddy Guy.
Rush joined us in the Gumbo Kitchen to look back on the lasting impact of his most well-known tune.