Otis Rush
Otis Rush Jr. (April 29, 1934 – September 29, 2018)[1] was an American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter. His distinctive guitar style featured a slow-burning sound and long bent notes. With qualities similar to the styles of other 1950s artists Magic Sam and Buddy Guy, his sound became known as West Side Chicago blues and was an influence on many musicians, including Michael Bloomfield, Peter Green and Eric Clapton.
Otis Rush
Otis Rush Jr.
Little Otis
April 29, 1934
Philadelphia, Mississippi, U.S.
September 29, 2018 (aged 84)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
- Musician
- songwriter
- Guitar
- vocals
1956–2003
Rush was left-handed and played as such; however, his guitars were strung with the low E string at the bottom, upside-down from typical guitarists.[2] He often played with the little finger of his pick hand curled under the low E for positioning. It is widely believed that this contributed to his distinctive sound. He had a wide-ranging, powerful tenor voice.[3]
Early life[edit]
Rush was born near Philadelphia, Mississippi in 1934, the son of farmers Julia Campbell Boyd and Otis C. Rush,.[4][5] He was one of seven children and worked on a farm throughout his childhood.[5] At the age of eight, Rush taught himself how to play guitar; he also sang in local church choirs.[5]
Awards[edit]
Rush was elected to the Blues Hall of Fame in 1984.[2]
In 2015, Rolling Stone ranked Rush number 53 on its 100 Greatest Guitarists list.[19]
The Jazz Foundation of America honored Rush with a Lifetime Achievement Award on April 20, 2018 "for a lifetime of genius and leaving an indelible mark in the world of blues and the universal language of music."[20]
Death[edit]
Rush died on September 29, 2018, from complications of a stroke. His death was announced on his website by his wife Masaki.[1]
Gregg Parker, CEO and a founder of the Chicago Blues Museum said of Rush: "He was one of the last great blues guitar heroes. He was an electric god".[21] Writing in The New York Times, Bill Friskics-Warren said, "A richly emotive singer and a guitarist of great skill and imagination, Mr. Rush was in the vanguard of a small circle of late-1950s innovators, including Buddy Guy and Magic Sam, whose music, steeped in R&B, heralded a new era for Chicago blues."[22]