Mick Hucknall steps away from Simply Red with ‘Tribute To Bobby’, a collection of soul classics originally recorded by the legendary Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland. After an illustrious career with Simply Red, Hucknall decided to do something different, and last June, he emerged from his home recording studio with a brand new album, a tribute to Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland – one of his heroes and inspirations.
“His music has this sophistication to it, a jazz tinge. There’s also the darkness of his lyrics – Bobby sings with a really twisted pain and sorrow. He’s one of the vocalists who influenced my singing style long before I became a slave to pop success”.
A master class in soul, blues and R&B, Hucknall transforms the thoughtfully selected covers into his own, and succeed in producing an intensely passionate and diverse album.
Produced by long time collaborator Andy Wright, the album is characterised by Hucknall’s striking emotional honesty, musical sincerity and his utterly unique voice. Embracing the spirit of Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland, one of many standout tracks on the album is ‘Stormy Monday Blues’, a thriving journey into the world of jazz and blues.
Other highlights on the album are many and include the first single ‘Poverty’ and ‘Cry Cry Cry’, a raw and soulful track that fits Hucknall perfectly. Alongside ‘I’ll Take Care Of You’, ‘I Pity The Fool’, and the stellar ‘Farther Up The Road’ means the album is consistently rewarding and hugely addictive.
Hucknall’s passion and respect for the project is unquestioned “I’m doing this album for myself, it’s my own personal odyssey. I feel more at home here. This is the beginning for me, I hope my old fans come along, and I hope we can make some new friends with it too” he says.