Bob Corritore
Inducted in 1997
Bob Corritore wears many hats within
the blues community. Bob hosts a
weekly blues radio program on KJZZ. He
books all the entertainment at the
Rhythm Room (Phoenix's top spot for
presenting national touring blues
talent). He has produced a number of
now historic blues recording sessions
and he is a world class blues
harmonica player who has worked with
many of the legendary greats.
Born in Chicago on September 27, 1956,
Bob heard Muddy Waters on the radio at
age 12. This experience would
permanently change his life. Bob
started collecting blues albums,
playing blues harmonica and regularly
seeing live blues concerts. He
befriended many of Chicago's great
bluesmen, and once of age, would
perform regularly at many of Chicago's
blues clubs.
At age 21, Bob started a record label
called "Blues over Blues" and produced
sessions by obscure harp masters, Big
Leon Brooks and Little Willie
Anderson. These sessions featured the
cream of the Chicago Blues players
such as Robert Jr. Lockwood, Fred
Below, Eddie Taylor, Pinetop Perkins,
Big Moose Walker, etc.
In 1981, Bob relocated to Phoenix. He
soon persuaded Louisiana Red to move
to Phoenix to form a band and do some
recording. Bob produced "Sittin' Here
Wonderin'", by Red, which took until
1996 to come out on the Earwig label
and subsequently was nominated for a
W.C. Handy award.
Bob has performed over the years in
many top Phoenix blues bands
including, Big Pete Pearson and the
Detroit Blues Band, Chico Chism and
the Chiztones and Buddy Reed and the
Rip It Ups. Bob also was a part of
many pick-up ensembles used to back
touring musicians coming through
Arizona without a band. Some of these
musicians were legendary and include
Willie Dixon, Bo Diddley, Lowell
Fulson, Otis Rush, Jimmy Rogers,
Robert Jr. Lockwood and others.
Bob has produced live recording
sessions at the Rhythm Room by R.L.
Burnside, Sonny Rhodes, Chico Chism,
and Henry Gray. He had a hand in
compiling the "Low Blows" Chicago
Harmonica Anthology and the "Blue
Saguaro" Arizona Blues compilation.
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