Born in Rosemark, Tennessee on 27 January 1930, Bland was an inspired performer who blended gospel, blues and R&B into an intoxicating mix.
His 1961 album Two Steps From The Blues was an essential purchase for young British Mods – including David Bowie, who covered one of its tracks, I Pity The Fool, with The Mannish Boys in 1964.
Bland died on 23 June 2013 at his home in Germantown, Tennessee, after an ongoing illness. He was 83.
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