Bobby Bland - Dreamer

180-gram vinyl

Dreamer is the warm velvet cover against cold loneliness with so many great songs like "I Wouldn't Treat A Dog (The Way You Treated Me)" and "Whose Foolin' Who?," the bluesy "Cold Day In Hell," "Lovin' On Borrowed Time" and "When You Come To The End Of Your Road." "I Ain't Gonna Be The First To Cry" has indeed the lyrical quality of "The Thrill Is Gone." The production by Steve Barri and Michael Omartian sounds full and ponderous.

The accompanying musicians, guitarists Dean Parks and Larry Carlton, bassist Wilton Felder and drummer Ed Green, rank as being part in the cream of L.A.'s studio musicians. When Dreamer was first issued in 1974 a controversial discussion started regarding the production and the arrangements containing a brass section and strings. But now, 40 years later, the LP album counts as one of the great masterpieces of its genre and the songs became standards in the repertoires of many soul and blues performers. Newly remastered with its original gatefold cover jacket, the first real reissue on vinyl after 43 years comes from Bear Family Records!

Bobby 'Blue' Bland is one of the most influential rhythm and blues singers of all time. He's the source of such standards as "Turn On Your Love Light," "Further On Up The Road," and "I Pitty The Fool." He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1981 and 11 years later his induction into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame followed. Bland received a Grammy as a lifetime achievement award in 1997. He performed at Blue Heaven Studios in 2010 as part of the Blues Masters at the Crossroads 13 musician lineup.