by Tony Jones
Special to the Tri-State Defender

Beale Street management team Performa Entertainment has announced that on Saturday, Oct. 9th, it will honor pinnacle bluesman Bobby Rush with his own musical keynote marker on the Beale Street Walk of Fame.  

Bluesman Bobby Rush (center) serves a taste of the blues at a press conference called to announce that he would soon have his own musical keynote marker on the Beale Street Walk of Fame.  Taking in the sounds and the scene are State Rep. Joe Towns (left), Rush’s publicist Tracy Sow (second from right) and Heritage Tours’ Elaine Turner. (Photo by Shirley Jackson)

A legendary scene stealer, Rush immediately turned around and announced that he has planned a special concert – called The Red, White and Blues Jam – at the Beale Street concert pavilion as a tribute to U.S. armed forces veterans on the same day. Rush said he will reserve 1,000 free tickets for distribution at veteran hospitals in Arkansas, Mississippi, southern tip of Kentucky, the Missouri bootheel and Tennessee.  

All Veterans certified by the Veterans Affairs Memphis office will be eligible to receive two tickets.  Distribution will begin on Wednesday, Sept. 1.  

In an interview with the Tri-State Defender, the howling bluesman revealed several interesting facts about his life and career and discussed the Oct. 9th tribute.

“I went over to Iraq and performed for the troops about a year ago and I just fell in love with them and what they do for us,” Rush said.  “I was just overwhelmed to witness the very real level of commitment and sacrifice they go through so that people like me and you can live our lives without feeling threatened.  We all go through some things, but these guys get hit by bullets and bombs and are right back at their jobs in five minutes.  It is something that must not be forgotten or taken for granted and it’s been on my mind ever since.”

He said his recent visit to a veteran’s hospital in Nashville cemented the bond with vets.

“State Rep. Joe Towns led the state to name me International Ambassador of the Blues, and I went to the Veteran’s Hospital there. I was so surprised that so many people knew about my music – black, white, old, young, male and female. We asked them what can we, as entertainers, do for them and that’s how the idea for the concert really started.”

Rush was accompanied at the interview by publicist and City of Memphis Ambassador to the Nation of Senegal, Tracy Sow, who will serve as liaison for the Red, White and Blues Jam.  

“I had seen a report on the news that an organization, Volunteer Services I believe, had taken a vote among the veterans at the hospital (in Memphis) here about what kind of entertainment they would like to see for a free concert they had planned for Valentine’s Day.  Blues won hands down...I thought it would be a shame not to grant their wish for something that should be so easily accomplished here, so this will fill a direct request, ” she said.

Rush, Performa Entertainment and the Handy and Slavehaven museums will be joined by state Rep. Joe Towns Jr. and state Sen. Reginald Tate, CDA Corporation, Miller Beer and A&R Barbecue to produce the tribute and concert.

(For more information, visit www.bobbyrush.net)